AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 



231 



interrupted spots of brown ; skin white; lemorals and vent 

 pale brownish white, the former marked with a few minute 

 heart-shaped spots of brown; legs yellow, feathered half way 

 below the knees." 



The male differs from the female in beino- somewhat 

 smaller and having more brightness of colour throughout 

 its plumage, and a more strongly defined black band across 

 the tail. 



We are indebted to the Philadelphia Museum for the use 

 of the beautiful bird from whicli our drawing is made. It 

 was alive and kept by Mr. T. R. Peale for some time, and 

 afterwards most beautifully prepared by him. I. D. 



AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. 

 FJiLCO SFARVERIUS. 



[Plate XX. Female.] 



Falco Sparverius. Linn. S3'st. ed. 10, p. 90. Gmel. Syst. 

 1, p. 284. Ind. Orn. p. 42. — Emerillon de St. Domin- 

 gue, Buff. 1, 291. PI. enl. 465. Arct. Zool. 212. — Lit- 

 tle Falcon, Lath. Syn. V. 1, p. 114, No. 94, ib. 95. — 

 Little Hawk, Arct. Zool. 211, No. 110. — Emerillon 

 de Cayenne, Burr. 1, 291. PI. enl. No. 444.— Z'. Do- 

 minicensis, Gmel. Syst. 1, p. 285. — Little Hawk, 

 Catesbt, 1, p. 5. — U EineriUon de la Caroline, Beiss. 

 Orn. 1, p. 386. — Tinnunculus Sparverius, Vieil Ois. 

 de I'Am. Sept. p. 12, 13. — J. Doughty's Collection. 



" In no department of ornithology has there been greater 

 confusion, or more mistakes made, than among this class of 

 birds of prey. The great difference of size between the 

 male and female, the progressive variation of plumage to 

 which, for several years, they are subject, and the diiEculty 

 of procuring a sufficient number of specimens for examina- 

 tion; all these causes conspire to lead the naturalist into al- 

 most unavoidable mistakes. According to fashionable eti- 

 quette the honour of precedence, in the present instance, is 

 given to the. fe7nale of this species; both because she is the 

 most courageous, the largest, and the handsomest of the two, 

 best ascertained, and less subject to change of colour than 

 the male. 



" This bird is a constant resident in almost every part of 

 the United States, particularly in the States north of Mary- 

 land. In the southern States there is a smaller species found, 

 which is destitute of the black spots on the head; the legs 

 are long and very slender, and the wings light blue. This 



has been supposed, by some, to be the male of the present 

 species: but this is an error. The eye of the present spe- 

 cies is dusky; that of the smaller species a brilliant orange; 

 the former has the tail rounded at the end, the latter slightly 

 forked. Such essential differences never take place between 

 two individuals of the same species. It ought, however, to 

 be remarked, that in all the figures and descriptions I have 

 hitherto met with of the bird now before us, the iris is re- 

 presented of a bright golden colour; but in all the specimens 

 I have shot I uniformly found the eye very dark, almost 

 black, resembling a globe of black glass. No doubt the 

 golden colour of the iris would give the figure of the bird 

 a more striking appearance; but in works of natural history 

 to sacrifice truth to mere picturesque effect, is detestable; 

 though, I fear, but too often put in practice. 



" The nest of this species is usually built in a hollow tree; 

 generally pretty high up, where the top or a large limb has 

 been broken off. I hare never seen its eggs; but have been 

 told that the female generally lays four or five, which are of 

 a light brownish j'ellow colour, spotted with a darker tint; 

 the 3'oung are fed on grasshoppers, mice, and small birds, 

 the usual food of the parents. 



"The habits and manners of this bird are well known. 

 It flies rather irregularly, occasionally suspending itself in 

 the air, hovering over a particular spot for a minute or two, 

 and then shooting off in another direction. It perches on 

 the top of a dead tree, or pole in the middle of a field or 

 meadow, and as it alights shuts its long wings so suddenly 

 that they seem instantly to disappear; it sits here in an al- 

 most perpendicular position, sometimes for an hour at a time, 

 frequently jerking its tail, and reconnoitering the ground 

 below, in every direction, for mice, lizards, &c. It ap- 

 proaches the farm-house, particularly in the morning, skulk- 

 ing about the barn-yard for mice or young chickens. It 

 frequently plunges into a thicket after small birds, as if by 

 random; but always with a particular, and generally a fatal, 

 aim. One day I observed a bird of this species perched on 

 the highest top of a large poplar, on the skirts of the wood; 

 and was in the act of raising the gun to my eye when he 

 swept down with the rapidity of an arrow into a thicket of 

 briars about thirty yards off, where I shot him dead; and 

 on coming up found a small field sparrow quivering in his 

 grasp. Both our aims had been taken in the same instant, 

 and, unfortunately for him, both were fatal. It is particu- 

 larly fond of watching along hedge-rows, and in orchards, 

 where those small birds, usually resort. When grass- 

 hoppers are plenty, they form a considerable part of its 

 food. 



"Though small snakes, mice, lizards, &c. be favourite 

 morsels with this active bird; yet we arc not to suppose it 

 altogether destitute of delicacy in feeding. It will seldom 



