SPARROW HAWK 87 



its brown-spotted eggs on the ground, in the top 

 of a broken-off tree trunk or a cavity, or in a 

 deserted crow's nest, freshly lined with finer 

 twigs or bark. 



This little fellow's eyesight, like that of other 

 Hawks, is very keen, and its adjustment wonder- 

 ful. For instance, he may be sailing high over- 

 head, crying "killy — killy — killy," but the 

 movement of a tiny mouse or lizard on the 

 ground does not escape him. Then in the instant 

 of his downward pounce, his eyes have changed 

 their focus so that it requires a swift and clever 

 mouse to get away. His usual manner of taking 

 his prey is, however, to dart upon it from a hedge 

 or bush. 



All hawks feed upon meat, some catching in- 

 sects, snails, frogs, snakes, lizards, and rabbits, 

 small rodents in plenty, and even fish. The 

 Eough-legged and the Broad-winged Hawks do 

 not eat birds or poultry at all. It is a pity to 

 make the whole tribe suffer for the sins of a few ; 

 and a great mistake is made by any community 

 which puts a bounty on the heads of its birds of 

 prey. 



