«4 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xiv. 



1687-8. 

 To John Harman for 3 Ringtayles . . . . . . 007 



1688-9. 

 To Tho. Earner 4 Ringtayles . . . . . . . . 08 



To Tho. Earner 3 Ringtayles . . . . . . . . 06 



Sparrow-Hawk [Accipiter nisus).* 



Compared with the numerous entries of Kites and Buzzards, 

 those of the Sparrow-Hawk are singularly few, as they occur in 

 two years' accounts only and include seven heads in all. This 

 is possibly accounted for by there being no game-keeping 

 in the modern sense of the word in those daj^s, and by the 

 fact that efforts were concentrated on the preservation of 

 poultr}' to which the larger Hawks and the Crows were far 

 more dangerous. In two other subsequent years' accounts 

 " Hawks," imspecified, to the number of eleven were paid for. 

 These may or may not have been of this species, though it 

 may be pointed out that they were only paid for at half the 

 rate for Sparrow-Hawks, which always fetched twopence a 

 Jhead. 



Examples of the entries are : — ■ 



1682-3. 

 To Peter East for one Sparrowhawke and one Bulfinch 003 



1683-4. 

 To Edward Curteis for i Jayes head, i Bulfinchs head 

 and a Sparrhawkes head . . . . . . . . 004 



To Anthony Knowlden for 13 Eulfinchs heads & i 

 Sparrhawkes head .. .. .. .. .. 013 



1688-9. 

 To Tho. Hutton 10 Hawkes, 3 Ravens, 25 Crowes & 

 Magpyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17^ 



Carrion-Crow {Corrits corone). 



Rook (C. frugilegus). 



Jackdaw {Colceus monedula). 



Magpie {Pica pica). 



^ It is necessary to consider these four species together, not 

 ■only because they so frequently occur in association in the 

 accounts, but because there is little doubt that, in the case of 

 the first two at any rate, and probably in that of the first three, 

 they were frequently entered indifferently under the name of 

 •Crow. From a consideration of the numbers recorded, it is 



* Mr. J. H. Gurney points out to me that the Sparrow-Hawk of the 

 old writers was often the Gos-Hawk (A. gentilis), and that falconers 

 of this period continually exchanged the names. It would, however, 

 be hazardous, I think, to conclude that any of these entries refer to 

 the latter species. 



