FALCOXID.E. 153 



been a female Peregrine with a strongly barred breast. Eat Tve are 

 inclined to assent to an explanation which has been offered by Lord Lilford, 

 who has little doubt that a confusion has arisen between the " Govse- 

 Hawk," one of the provincial names of the Hen-Harrier, and Gros-Hawk ; 

 and that this confusion has occasioned tlie mistake. 



In old days no hawking establishment was complete without one or two 

 trained Gos-Hawks, which were used to fly at ground-game, thus varying 

 the sport to be enjoyed with the Peregrines and Merlins, whose quarry 

 was always killed in the air. The Gos-Hawks thus made themselves of 

 use in capturing the food-supply of the other, nobler Hawks, which they 

 were expected to maintain, and, on this account, were commonly termed 

 " the Cooks," as we have been informed by the Eev. W. Willimott, who 

 is a great admirer of the Gos-Hawk. In the present revival of hawking 

 a good many Gos-Hawks are kept for taking rabbits ; the trained bird 

 follows the started rabbit swiftly over the ground and, coming up with it, 

 seizes it by the head and throat with its powerful talons, and holds it 

 until the attendant comes up. The Gos-Hawks employed are captured in 

 Germany for the purpose.] 



Sparrow-Hawk. Jccijnter nisus (Linn.). 



Piesident, generally distributed in wooded districts, and tolerably 

 numerous, altliough much persecuted. Preeds. The Sparrow-Hawk 

 seems formerly to have been the most abundant species of Hawk in 

 Devonshire. Hooker (l(jth cent.) says, when enumerating the principal 

 birds of Devon : — " likewise for Hawkes of all kinds great store and 

 abundance; which the Sparrow Hawkc in this county is the chiefest "' 

 (Portledge MS. p. 6). 



Ovid gave an apt description of the life of a Sparrow-Hawk in a few- 

 words, when he wrote of it '■'•semper vivit in armisy There is no Hawk 

 on our British list which is more fierce, or more untamable, tlian this 

 feathered Ishmaelite. The old Greek poet, in some magnificent lines, 

 declared that all living things might be subdued by human influence, but 

 the Sparrow-Hawk is nearly the exceiition, Althougli there have been 

 falconers who, with infinite ])atience, have brou^lit Sparrow-Hawks into 

 some degree of training, and have actually liad flights with them, yet tlio 

 majoiity of men would soon give over so weary a task as that of attcnii)tiiig 

 to tame tlio untamable. The Sparrow-Hawk is ready to fly at anytliinii- ; 

 but a Blackbird is, perhaps, his favourite quairy, although anj' small hinl 

 will serve him for a meal. It is of the cock wo are now speaking. The 

 hen Sparrow'-Hawk is a far more formidable l)ird, and there is none moro 

 to be dreaded by the game-presc-rvcr, as she is moro deadly than tho 

 Peregrine, and lias the strength to carry off Partridges, young Pheasants, 

 and tamo Pigeons; and when she has once tasted tho last, she will return 

 again and again " to flutter the dove-cots." Mr. Cecil Snjith even relates an 

 instance where a lien Sparrow-Hawk M-as seen to knock a e(tck Plieasatit 

 off his roost, and was |iroceeding to make short work with him when tho 



