THE SPARROW-HAWK. 9 



colour of the irides, shortness of wings, and length of tail and 

 tarsi. Its food consists of leverets, young rabbits, mice, par- 

 tridges, and pigeons, with an endless variety of smaller birds. 



For its spirit and daring, few of the more noble falcons can 

 compete with it ; its unparalleled audacity rendering none of 

 the smaller animals safe from its depredations. All places are 

 alike to him : at one time, plundering the dove-cot ; at another, 

 skimming over the farm-yard, he purloins a chicken ; again, 

 dashing furiously against the cages in the public streets ; and 

 lastly, following his terrified quarry, when the latter seeks a 

 refuge in the presence of man, fearless of all obstacles, it is 

 pursued through the open window, clutched up and away. 

 The farmer takes his gun, and vows vengeance upon the plun- 

 derer of his-dove cot, as he looks on the scattered feathers of 

 some favourite pigeon. The mistress calls the household about 

 her in fruitless wrath, when she sees her pet chicken unwil- 

 lingly performing an aerial excursion ; whilst the fair owner 

 of the outraged cage-bird, more frightened than hurt, looks 

 unutterable things after the foiled plunderer, as he wings away ; 

 which, however, is not always the case, as he sometimes ex- 

 changes his h'fe for his temerity, striking himself with violence 

 against the bars of the cage. 



Ask the gamekeeper if there are sparrow-hawks in his 

 neighbourhood, and you are shown the door of some outhouse 

 covered with the mutilated remains of many, and with an 

 askance look, asked pithily, " What's them?" Yet, notwith- 

 standing that every man's hand is against him, we observe 

 no apparent diminution of numbers. 



Even when brought to the ground wounded, the courage of 

 the sparrow-hawk remains unabated. Lying on his back, he 

 prepares to take no quarter, and determines to sell his life as 

 dearly as possible. The convulsive clutching of his talons, his 

 loud screams, and glistening eye, intimidate, and render a near 

 approach not desirable ; and when taken at last he inflicts 

 sundry ugly gashes on the hands of the incautious tyro. 



Early in spring the sparrow-hawk looks out for a suitable 

 place to nidify, and, like the kestrel, seldom forms a nest for 

 itself, but takes possession of one deserted by the magpie 

 or rook. It will also rear its brood in the fissures and clefts 

 of rocks; the number of eggs varying from three to five, 

 in colour bluish white, spotted or blotched with reddish 

 brown. 



When the young are in an advanced state, the parent birds 

 prove abundant caterers, and destroy an immense number of 

 small birds to satisfy their endless craving. Some idea may 



