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has been known to follow the trembling fugitive thither. When a favourable opportunity occurs, 

 it is often quite heedless of the presence of man ; and I have seen one come suddenly upon some 

 Pipits and Wagtails feeding in a field in which three ploughs were going, and carry off one of the 

 Pipits from within a few yards of one of them. While some Sparrows were quietly enjoying the 

 pickings of some horse-dung in one of the streets of Edinburgh, on which many persons (including 

 Mr. Audubon and myself) were passing, a Sparrow-Hawk, glancing among them, carried one off in 

 a moment." 



" This clever little bird never soars in lazy gyrations like the Eagles and Buzzards, nor does 

 jt follow a circling course while looking for food. Its range of distinct vision cannot be very 

 great, as it does not appear to observe birds in a hedge or field at the distance of some hundred 

 yards ; and its low flight, at the height of only eight or ten feet, indicates a correspondingly short 

 extent of sight. But then the quickness of its perception is astonishing ; for when sweeping along 

 nearly at full speed, it will readily discover any object favourably situated for being seized. In 

 the fields, it preys on Leverets, young Rabbits, Field-mice, Partridges, Larks, Pipits, and Wagtails ; 

 by the hedges and in woods, on Blackbirds, Thrushes, Sparrows, Chaffinches, and Buntings. 

 Although it very frequently visits stack-yards, gardens, and the vicinity of houses, its chief object 

 seems to be to obtain small birds, not to look after the poultry ; yet it has been known to seize 

 on Pigeons, and more frequently on Chickens. Montagu says he has ' frequently known them 

 carry away half a brood of the latter before the thief was discovered. They fly low, skim over a 

 poultry-yard, snatch up a chick, and are out of sight in an instant.' Its depredations in the fields 

 and in game-preserves render it highly obnoxious to the keepers, so that it is often shot; its 

 occasional attacks upon tame birds in cages render it hateful to the fair owners of these inter- 

 esting pets ; and its visits to the farm-yard and barn-door are little approved of by thrifty house- 

 wives. Its good qualities, its indomitable courage, love of liberty, extreme agility, and elegant 

 figure, are forgotten, and all classes join in persecuting the little plunderer. It does not appear 

 that it has any deadly enemies among birds or quadrupeds ; and of the former few ever attempt 

 to molest it, unless when it has attacked a nest, and is bent on carrying off the young. A pair 

 of Missel-Thrushes will sometimes defend their nest against it, and that successfully, although 

 sometimes one falls a sacrifice. 



" When a Sparrow-Hawk suddenly appears in a place where there are many small birds, 

 they usually betake themselves to the nearest wood or thicket, where after a little they give vent 

 to their feelings in loud cries. Sometimes it is pursued by birds of various species, which, 

 although incapable of seriously molesting it, continue to hover round it, uttering cries expressive 

 of then* alarm and hatred. I have seen one flying rapidly off in the evening with a bird in its 

 talons, followed at full speed by a Wagtail uttering hurried cries all the while. In this case it 

 is probable that the Hawk had carried off its mate or one of its young. I think, however, that 

 the birds on which it usually preys do not gather about it or pursue it, unless some of their 

 relatives or companions have been swept away by it. Often, however, a flock of Swallows follow 

 a Sparrow-Hawk a long while, hovering at a considerable distance, and keeping up an incessant 

 chatter. The prevalent idea on this subject is, that small birds being the natural prey of Hawks, 

 they have an instinctive antipathy to their destroyers, and when one of the latter is observed they 

 call to each other, and, collecting in a band, assume a sufficient degree of courage to impel them 



