126 THE GAMEKEEPER AT HOME. 



ploughed field, suddenly drop a bird from his claws as he 

 passed over a hedge. The bird fell almost perpendicularly, 

 with a slight fluttering of the wings, just sufficient to 

 preserve it from turning head-over-heels, and on reaching 

 the hedge could not hold to the first branches, but brought 

 up on one near the ground. It was a sparrow, and was 

 not apparently hurt — simply breathless from fright. 



All kinds of birds are sometimes seen with the tail 

 feathers gone : have they barely escaped in this condition 

 from the clutches of the hawk ? Blackbirds, thrushes, and 

 pigeons are frequently struck : the hawk seems to lay them 

 on the back, for if he is disturbed that is the position his 

 victim usually remains in. Though hawks do not devour 

 every morsel, yet as a rule nothing is found but the 

 feathers — usually scattered in a circle. Even the bones 

 disappear : probably ground vermin make away with the 

 fragments. 



The hawk is not always successful in disabling his 

 prey. I have seen a partridge dashed to the ground, get 

 up again, and escape. The bird was flying close to the 

 ground when struck ; the hawk alighted on the grass a 

 few yards farther in a confused way as if overbalanced, and 

 before he could reach the partridge the latter was up and 

 found shelter in a thick hedge. 



The power to hover or remain suspended in one place 

 in the air does not, as some have supposed, depend upon 

 the assistance of the wind, against which the hawk inclines 



