DOMESTIC HABITS OF TEE SPARROW-HAWK. 49 



later, when I as frequently disturbed her from it, as though the 

 eggs were now nearly hatched. Her settling herself down on 

 the nest, too, is just after the manner of an incubating bird, as 

 also her change of position upon it, and bending the head down 

 on rising, after a long sitting. 



I think the bird must have sat close all the morning, as 

 I heard no cry — at least, not during the time when she might 

 have been off, and the reason for this difference may be that 

 whilst yesterday it was a fine morning, to-day it was dull and 

 misty, and, though not actually raining, had rained so heavily 

 in the night and early morning that the whole country was 

 saturated, and the coppice like a vapour- and shower-bath 

 combined. 



In the afternoon I was down again, getting to my place 

 about 6. The bird saw me as I came, and went off, as also once 

 or twice again after returning. There was nothing to note 

 until 8.7, when, as she was standing up, preening herself, in 

 the nest, as is her custom, at intervals, there came the little 

 *'tchu, tchu, tchu" of the male amongst the trees, and instantly, 

 with a swift and graceful plunge, and one answering "tchu," 

 more prolonged, she was off, and joined him. For some 

 minutes, then, I heard their cries, either in the trees or as they 

 flew over them, but I could never see them, and at 8.12 the 

 bird was back, and settled herself down in the nest again. At 

 8.15, looking again through the glasses, the nest seemed empty 

 once more. If it was, the bird must have gone whilst I wrote 

 the above. It was now darkening, however, and when I left 

 about 8.30 it was impossible to make anything out. 



June 8th. — In the coppice early again. 



At 4.15 a.m. comes the little " tchu, tchu, tchu, tchu, tchu " 

 of the partner bird, and instantly, upon it, the sitting one 

 rouses herself, and flies off in its direction. Both, I believe, 

 then leave the plantation — but, no ! I now hear the note inside 

 it, again. They probably fly up and down, just skirting it, and 

 enter it from time to time, as I have seen other Sparrow- 

 Hawks do. 



4.19. Bird to nest again, and settles down upon the eggs. 

 About 5 I left the coppice, and watched it for about an hour from 

 outside. I twice, again, heard the cry of one or both birds 



