OUR BIRDS OF PREY. 



73 



entering protest against the practice of wantonly destroying such 

 noble and interesting birds whenever they reach our shores. 



In no instance is the remarkable difference in size between the 



THE SPARE.O\\'-HAWK (aCCII'ITER NISUS). 



male and female of birds of prey so marked as in that of the 

 Sparrow-hawk. A novice would scarcely believe that they belong 

 to the same species. The female is three inches longer than the 

 male, and a larger bird all round. Of a pair weighed by Mr. 

 Gurney, the female was rather more than double the weight of the 



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