BIRDS' NESTS. 123 



CHAPTER VIII. 



EGGS SPOTTED, ON A LIGHT GROUND. 



SPARROW HAWK. Accipiter Nisus. 



PLATE V. FIG. 2. 



THE Sparrow Hawk, like many other birds 

 of the same tribe, is more of a robber than a 

 builder, establishing itself in the deserted nest 

 of some other bird, especially the crow. It lays 

 four or five eggs an inch and a half long, of a 

 pale bluish white, blotched and speckled with 

 dark red brown. The young when hatched are 

 very voracious. Mr. Selby mentions having 

 found a nest of five young sparrow hawks, 

 which contained a lapwing, two blackbirds, a 

 thrush, and two greenfinches, recently killed 

 and partly stripped of their feathers. If taken 

 young, and abundantly supplied with proper 

 food, they may be reared without difficulty and 

 trained for hawking. 



