THE SPARROW-HAWK. 67 



It is interesting when the pursued fly to man for security. 

 When Major Higginson was once riding over the mountains, north- 

 ward of Glenarm, a skylark, pursued by a hawk (doubtless either 

 this species, or a merlin), made several attempts " to fly into his 

 breast," but failing in this, sought shelter beneath the body of 

 his horse. He instantly alighted, and took up the lark, whose 

 little heart was beating most violently, during which time, the 

 hawk kept so near, that his whip was in requisition, in the hope 

 that the lash might reach it. Inconsiderately, he concealed the 

 lark in the heath merely, instead of carrying it to some distance, 

 as the hawk was observed to remain about the spot, and, in all 

 probability, the poor bird, though respited for a time, eventually 

 fell its victim. Some years ago, a swallow in the neighbourhood 

 of Belfast, actually did take refuge in a lady's breast from a spar- 

 row-hawk. As a sporting friend was shooting upon his moor in 

 Ayrshire, in the month of October, a lark, pursued by a merlin 

 (Falco asalon), came from the distance of about a hundred yards 

 directly towards him and his servant, and alighted near their feet, 

 apparently for safety. On reaching the ground, it was so ex- 

 hausted as to be unable to close its wings. 



Sparrow-hawh and Heron. — Once, at the end of July, when 

 walking along the side of the river Lagan, near Belfast, I was 

 attracted by the loud screams of herons, which appeared above 

 the trees at the north-west extremity of Belvoir Park. A couple 

 of these giants of the air kept flying above the tops of the trees 

 with tremendous uproar, in consequence of the presence of a single 

 sparrow-hawk ! This bird was circling about, and the herons 

 awkwardly and quite unavailingly endeavouring to strike him. 

 Mying quite at ease, his turns were so short, and, at the same 

 time, so full of grace, that he seemed to laugh to scorn their heavy 

 lumbering movements. The herons' savage cries were apparently 

 (evidently, might almost be said) caused by the hawk's make- 

 believe attempt to carry off their young, as they were particularly 

 violent and vociferous whenever he made a swoop, — as I remarked 

 him to do thrice, — at the top of a particular tree. It seemed a mere 

 play or bravado on the part of the hawk, as he could easily, in 



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