33^ FALCONRY 



streak of light grey over each eye, speckled, as are the cheeks, with 

 minute brown splashes. The bars on the breasts of the adult birds 

 differ considerably in width in different individuals. The under 

 tail coverts are pure white. 



The sparrow-hawk, or ' spar-hawk ' of our ancestors, is the 

 commonest species that is used in hawking ; it is familiar to 

 everyone who knows anything at all of the ornithology of this 

 country. Being a true or short-winged hawk, its training and 

 management are almost identical with that described in the 

 foregoing pages as suitable for the goshawk. But, as the 

 sparrow-hawk is a more delicate bird, the severe discipline as 

 to diet which is necessary for the goshawk cannot be resorted 

 to in her case. They require a great deal of carrying, but 

 must be well fed, as much as possible upon birds, and should 

 be given a mouthful or two in the morning without any castings, 

 as well as the usual meal at night They are birds of a highly 

 nervous organisation, and when first taken on hand will seem 

 to be, and in fact are, so absolutely paralysed by terror as to 

 lose all use of their legs. Nothing is to be done but to replace 

 them on the fist as often as they fall off, and so steadily to 

 inure them to being carried, and then to follow out the course 

 of training as before described. 



Although delicate and rather liable to fits, the sparrow-hawk 

 is full of dash and courage, and has not so sulky a temper as 

 that with which her larger congener is cursed. Instances of 

 their dashing through windows to get at caged birds are so 

 common as to be hardly worth recording, and during the 

 present year a sparrow-hawk belonging, to Mr. Riley took and 

 held a pheasant nearly full-grown and three times her own 

 weight. In fact, they are most sporting birds, and well worth 

 training and using in a country which does not admit of the 

 higher forms of falconry. 



Sparrow-hawks can easily be flown at hack in the same 

 manner as is prescribed for peregrines and merlins, but there 

 is no advantage in doing this ; birds brought up in a large 

 room or loft will fly quite as well as those that are hacked. 



