04 THE ORNITHOLOGIST. 



hear from the gamekeepers of Sparrow-hawks' nests. The 

 Pie is certainly as numerous as the Sparrow-hawk, but only 

 in very rare cases does its nest escape the eyes of the keepers, 

 when built in the preserved woods. When the keepers detect 

 a nest they destroy it by shooting at it from underneath. Now 

 I have known of nests of the Sparrow-hawk in such positions 

 that it is impossible that a nest of the Pie or Crow or Ring- 

 dove could have escaped detection if built there, when it would 

 have been destroyed, especially if belonging to either of the 

 birds first mentioned. The keepers allow the Sparrow-hawks' 

 nests to remain undisturbed until the young are hatched, when 

 the parents fall victims to their noblest instinct. 



I think it will be found that the Sparrow-hawk generally 

 makes use of the nest (which is a deserted one in most cases, 

 but may be usurped) of the Crow and Pie, where such nests 

 are of frequent occurrence ; but in places where these are 

 infrequent, the species for the most part builds its own. It 

 will have been noticed that of the three ornithologists whom 

 I have quoted as stating that the bird makes its own nest, 

 two — Messrs. Mitchell and Clarke — are describing the avifauna 

 of counties where Crows and Pies are less numerous than in 

 many parts of England. 



Mr. Davenport's paper is a valuable one, if only for calling 

 attention to a point in connection with the Sparrow-hawk 

 which cannot but be regarded as unsettled, and I am sorry I 

 am unable to agree with its main conclusions. I will, how- 

 ever, bring this note to an end by expressing my entire agree- 

 ment with Mr. Davenport's injunction to those interested in 

 the question " Go out into the woods and form your own 

 conclusions." 



St. Leonards -on-Sea. 



By A. Holte Macpherson, B.C.L., F.Z.S. 



My experience of Sparrow-hawks' nests is extremely limited 

 as compared with that of Mr. Davenport, but it does not 

 quite coincide with his. Of the three nests of which I can 

 speak positively, one was, without a doubt, built by the birds 

 themselves. This was a nest close to the outskirts of Saver- 



