224 BIRD LIFE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR 



sing, relapsing after each effort into the listless attitude 

 so characteristic of all his kin. 



Judging from the scattered feathers which mark 

 the sparrow-hawk's " kill," the chaffinch is its most 

 frequent victim, but that it will attempt larger game 

 the well-picked remains of a wood-pigeon not seldom 

 indicate. This is no doubt the work of the hen 

 sparrow-hawk— a much larger and bolder bird than her 

 mate, to whose powers the blackbird forms a more 

 appropriate prey. No other of our raptorial birds 

 is possessed by such a blind ferocity. We have known 

 the sparrow-hawk frequently to dash against the 

 wires of an out-door aviary in the attempt to seize a 

 singing-bird, and for the same purpose it will sometimes 

 enter a room or stun itself against a window-pane in 

 trying to do so. In one instance of which we knew, a 

 sparrow-hawk, not content with killing two parent 

 blackbirds at the nest, returned and took the unfledged 

 young. It probably had a brood to satisfy, and for 

 the wants of such the sparrow-hawk is known to cater 

 with a liberal hand. 



Along the brook-side, where we have watched the 

 water-rat on the feed at dusk, and have seen the water- 

 shrews playing about like miniature otters, all the 

 gay tangle of summer, creamy meadow-sweet, purple 

 loosestrife and yellow flag, is now sere and dead. As 

 a Kingfisher darts past, its azure-blue back looks all 

 the more brilliant by contrast with such lifeless 



