KESTREL. 167 



cause of the parent hare's gallant attack on the 

 Hawk. It was w r ounded on the side of the head, 

 and was bleeding, hut the gentleman left it in a 

 furrow, hoping that the wound might not prove 

 fatal, and that the mother might find it and reap the 

 reward of her maternal attachment. 



It may seem extraordinary that they should pre- 

 sume to meddle with living things of their own 

 size and weight, but it is still more remarkable that 

 they should occasionally wage successful warfare 

 with birds still larger than themselves, as for instance 

 with the Jay. Not long ago, some boys observed a 

 Hawk flying after a Jay, which, on reaching, it im- 

 mediately attacked, and both fell on a stubble-field, 

 where the contest appeared to be carried on; the 

 boys hastened up, but too late to save the poor Jay, 

 which was at the last gasp ; in the agonies of death, 

 however, it had contrived to infix, and entangle its 

 claws so firmly in the Hawk's feathers, that the 

 latter, unable to escape, was carried off by the boys, 

 who brought it home, when on examination it 

 proved to be a Kestrel. The Sparrow-hawk of 

 North America (Falco sparverius\ which is more 

 nearly allied to the Kestrel than ours, is often known 

 to attack the Blue Jay of that country. No wonder 

 that Jays have a great dislike to this Hawk, and 

 never fail to annoy it by every means in their power. 

 Sometimes they will follow in order to plague it, at 

 other times, they, by imitating its note, will deceive 

 and draw it from its haunts. In return for all this 

 abuse, the Hawk now and then revenges itself by 

 killing and eating the fattest of its persecutors. 



Rapid as is the flight of these birds of prey, and 



