Oct.-Dcc. 1921.1 



The Canadian Field-Xatfralist 



137 



with the fact that all wild creatures have 

 certain fixed specific habits and mental 

 reactions to various stimuli. Some spe- 

 cies are particularly wary and cautious, 

 others are constitutionally confiding or 

 bold. What we also know but usually 

 realize all too vaguely is that besides th'^se 

 characteristics common to a species, are 

 other mental attitudes that are as strict- 

 ly individual as many human traits. In 

 watching Falco, as we called her, it was 

 borne in upon us with all the force of a 

 strictly new discovery that the Sparrow 

 Hawks we thought we knew so well are 

 not automata all cast in the same mould, 

 that they each have mentalities of their 

 own, personal habits that change in de- 

 tail from time to time under whim or 

 passing states of mind, individual likes 

 and dislikes; in fact they have lives of 

 their own to live and minds of their own 

 to live them. Even a field naturalist, is 

 apt to acquire the habit of considering 

 the birds he studies in the broad and 

 general, as species and subspecies rather 

 than as individuals. Not the least learn- 

 ed from association with this little hawk 

 was this appreciation of her individual 

 personality. 



Next to these evidences of personality 

 the most striking qualities Falco presented 

 were affection, and, if the manner of 

 dealing with unusual conditions is a. crit- 

 erion, her quite considerable intelligence. 

 Though suspicious of strangers, she showed 

 a decided liking for her immediate family, 

 and enjoyed to sit upon our shoulders, 

 fluffed up like a ball cuddling close to 

 the neck and passing her bill delicately 

 around the convolutions of the ear to the 

 accompaniment of a contented little chur- 

 ring note of satisfaction. She knew even 

 the sound of our foot-steps. A stranger's 

 footfall along the concrete sidewalk lead- 

 ing to the outer door drove her precipi- 

 tatelj' to her safe citadel on top of her 

 seldom occupied cage in the far upper' 

 corner of the room. The sounds of our 

 steps on the same walk merely caused a 

 look of expectation and a preparation to 

 alight UT)on our shoulders as soon as we 

 appeared. She recognized paper ])arcels 

 as common containers of meat and showed 

 interest in them accordingly. She knew 

 that water could be obtained at the sink 

 through our mediation, and came to it 



when thirsty or wanting a bath. She re- 

 cognized doors as the means of communi- 

 cation between rooms and when lonely 

 and wanting to join us, came to them and 

 scratched and churred for admission. A 

 mirror perplexed her once but, finding 

 nothing behind, she had no interest in it 

 afterwards. 



At times she was playful and enjoyed 

 a certain game in which a long yellow 

 pencil (no other color served quite as 

 well) was pointed at her. On finally 

 gaining possession of it she would brand- 

 ish it most cleverly with feet and bill 

 until it slipped to the floor, when she 

 would look down, as if in surprise, and 

 descend to obtain it again. She had 

 many mimic fights with her distorted re- 

 flection in the curved base of a brass 

 lamp, Avould hide from it behind books 

 or obstructions, then pounce from am- 

 bush, striking vigorously with her feet 

 and uttering low churs of pleasure. 



Though nervous with strangers, espe- 

 cially men, she showed a surprising lack 

 of appreciation of danger from hereditary 

 or natural enemies, showing that fear of 

 definite objects is not as instinctive as is 

 commonly believed. A strange face at the 

 window caused her to flee in terror, but 

 I have seen her sit with only interested 

 curiosity on the Avindow sill within, whilst 

 Avithout a cat struggled to make through 

 the glass at her. A dog was only an in- 

 teresting phenomenon to her, nothing 

 more. 



Once a cigar box, with a hole in the 

 side like a bird box, was prepared and 

 hung near her usual perch. She was in- 

 terested at once, and hardly was it fixed 

 than she was peering in. She entered, 

 and for the next little while nothing was 

 seen of her except occasional glimpses of 

 her bright little face looking out, but 

 from within could be heard tire sounds 

 of scratching, thumping and excited eja- 

 culation. Thereafter she spent many 

 minutes, aggregating hours perhaps per 

 day, in the box, always in an excited con- 

 dition. It was evident that latent sexual 

 instin.cts were aroused, and feeling half 

 guilty at having raised unsatisfiable de- 

 sires we removed the box. 



In spite of the unnaturalness of the cir- 

 cumstances surrounding her she appear- 

 ed content and happy, except for short 



