304 BRITISH BIRDS. 



been caught; that from which the foregoing figure 

 was taken had been slightly wounded in the wing, 

 so as to prevent its flying away. It sat on the 

 bench while the cut was engraved, and from its 

 having been fed by the hand with flies, when 

 sitting for its portrait, watched every motion, and 

 at every look of the eye, when pointedly directed 

 towards it, ran close up to the graver, in expecta- 

 tion of a fresh supply of food. 



three hours together, in hopes he would learn to cater for himself, 

 which he soon did, but still was no less tame, always answering their 

 call, and coming in at the window to them (of his own accord) fre- 

 quently, every day, and always roosting in their room, which he has 

 regularly done from the first till within a week or ten days past. He 

 constantly roosted on one of the children's heads till their bed-time; 

 nor was he disturbed by the child moving about, or even walking, but 

 would remain perfectly quiet, with his head under his wing, till he 

 was put away for the night in some warm corner: for he liked much 

 warmth. 



"It is now four days since he came in to roost in the house, and 

 though he did not then show any symptoms of shyness, yet he is 

 evidently becoming less tame, as the whistle will not now bring 

 him to the hand, nor does he visit us as formerly, but he always 

 acknowledges it when within hearing, by a chirp, and by flying near. 

 Nothing could exceed his tameness for about six weeks, and I have 

 no doubt it would have continued the same, had we not left him 

 to himself as much as we could, fearing he would be so perfectly 

 domesticated that he would be left behind at the time of migration, 

 and of course be starved in the winter, from cold or hunger. 



"One thing I have observed, which perhaps is not much known, 

 is, that these birds cast like the Hawk tribe." 



