VOL. VIII.] HABITS OF SPAREOW-HAWK. 159 



catch. She broke it up and at 5.20 reached down into 

 middle of nest and carried off a cleanly picked 

 skeleton. Female at 5.40 with small bird, left at 

 5.45. Female at 6.30 but left at once carrying bird 

 Avith her. Female returned at 7 and spent a few 

 minutes breaking up bird. Female with small bird 

 at 7.20, did not sta^^ but left bird in nest which was 

 monopolised by one young female. Female at 8.5 

 brought small bird which she broke up. Then fished 

 out of the nest the partly eaten carcase brought at 

 7.20, cleared this up also, eating a little herself, and 

 left at 8.15. At 9 a.m. I was relieved by my son 

 who reported that at 10.5 the female came with 

 small bird, but left at once taking it with her. Re- 

 turned at 10.15 and remained five minutes breaking 

 up the bird. At 12.30 the male brought an unplucked 

 Spotted Flj^catcher which it dropped into the nest 

 and left at once. At 1.15 p.m. I again took charge. 

 1.45 male came but left immediately mtliout leaving 

 any food. 1.50 female came and left small plucked 

 bird. 2.0 female after flying around and calling, 

 brought a Starling partly skinned, but with some 

 wing-feathers intact. She stayed until 2.15 breaking 

 up the Starling, clearing it up completely. 2.25 

 female brought a bird size of Thrush, broke it up 

 and left at 2.35. 2.55 female brought small bird, 

 broke it up, and as the j'oung Hawks were not very 

 keen, she eat a good part of it herself. 3.35 male 

 flew on to the nest, dropped a small bird and left. 

 A thunderstorm Avorked up at this time ; the young 

 Hawks Avere very quiet, and with the exception of 

 a little calling at 5.15 there Avas no sign of the adults, 

 until 5.40, when the male again flcAV on, dropped his 

 catch — a small bird — and departed. At 6.5 p.m. I 

 AA^as again relieved by mj^ son Avho recorded a visit 

 by the female at 6.40 AAath a small bird (unplucked) 

 and one by the male at 7.20, Avhich dropped a small 

 bird in the nest but did not stay. 

 July '12nd. — 5.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. Young HaAvks now 

 fully feathered, AA'ith a slight amount of doAvn still 

 adhering to their heads and the ventral region. They 

 had been fed AA^hen I arrived, as there was a newly 

 picked carcase of a bird of the size of a Thrush on 

 the nest. 6.15 female brought a small bird but only 

 stayed tlu'ee minutes. 8.50 female again brought 

 a small bird, partly broke it up as before and left. 



