THE BOLD SPARROW-HAWK 107 



It chanced that part of a patch of buckwheat had 

 been left unharvested, so that the pheasants might 

 help themselves to the grain. Thousands of small 

 birds flocked to feed on the choice feast. A game- 

 keeper noticed that sparrow-hawks found this patch 

 of buckwheat a fine hunting-ground, and would 

 perch in a clump of tall trees near by. He therefore 

 hid himself in the trees, with a gun, and bagged four 

 hen sparrow-hawks, which had been well employed 

 in thinning the ranks of the small birds. 



Countrymen will speak of the cock sparrow-hawk 

 as the little blue hawk, as though it were a separate 

 variety : not knowing that the cock bird is about 

 half the size of his mate. Blue hawks, pigeon hawks, 

 and five-barred hawks are among the sparrow-hawk's 

 local names, arising from the blue-grey colour of the 

 upper parts of their plumage, from their occasional 

 habit of attacking wood- pigeons, and from the five 

 striking bars of brownish black on their tails. Less 

 common than kestrels, sparrow-hawks are far less 

 conspicuous : while the kestrel hovers high in the 

 air on the lookout for prey (whether a mouse or a 

 grasshopper), the sparrow-hawk's way is to glide low 

 over the fields and along the hedges, swooping sud- 

 denly through gaps to pounce on unsuspecting small 

 birds. The size and shape of the wings, and therefore 

 the flights of the two birds, are very different. The 

 sparrow-hawk's wings are inclined to be rounded and 

 short ; the kestrel's are long and pointed. While the 

 young of the two birds have a great deal in common, 



