52 A ME RICA N SPA RR W HA WK. 



AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. (Falco sparverius.) 



PLATE XXXII.— Fig. 2, Male. 



Little Hawk, Arct. Zool. 211, No. 110.— Emerillon de Cayenne, Buff. i. 291. 

 PI. enl. No. 444.— Lath. i. 110.— PeaWs Museum, No. 340. 



FALCO SPARVERIUS.— Linnaeus. 



Falco sparverius, Bonap. Synop. p. 27.— Falco sparverius, Little Rusty-crowned 

 Falcon, North. Zool. ii. p. 31. 



The female of this species has been already figured and 

 described in Vol. I. of this work. As they differ considerably 

 in the markings of their plumage, the male is introduced here, 

 drawn to one half its natural size, to conform with the rest of 

 the figures on the plate. 



The male sparrow hawk measures about ten inches in length, 

 and twenty-one in extent ; the whole upper parts of the head 

 are of a fine slate blue, the shafts of the plumage being black, 

 the crown excepted, which is marked with a spot of bright 

 rufous ; the slate tapers to a point on each side of the neck ; 

 seven black spots surround the head, as in the female, on a 



they are looked upon with superstition. They fitter a sound at night 

 when perched, like the grunting of pigs, which, hy the common and 

 uninformed people, is thought to he some apparition or spectre. By 

 Hearne the snow owl is said to be known to watch the grouse shooters 

 a whole day, for the purpose of sharing in the spoil. On such occasions, 

 it perches on a high tree, and when a bird is shot, skims down and 

 carries it off before the sportsman can get near it. We have the fol- 

 lowing remarks by Dr Richardson in the " Northern Zoology " :— 

 " Frequents most of the arctic lands that have been visited, but retires 

 with the ptarmigan, on which it preys, to more sheltered districts in 

 winter ; hunts by day. When I have seen it on the barren grounds, 

 it was generally squatting on the earth ; and if put up, it alighted 

 again after a short flight, but was always so wary as to be approached 

 with difficulty. In woody districts it shows less caution. I have seen 

 it pursue the American hare on the wing, making repeated strokes at 

 the animal with its feet. In winter, when this owl is fat, the Indians 

 and white residents in the Fur Countries esteem it to be good eating. 

 Its flesh is delicately white." By the Cree Indians it is called Wapow- 

 keethoo, or Wapahoo ; by the Esquimaux, Oookpeeguak ; by the Nor- 

 wegians, Lemensgriis and Gysfugl ; by the Swedes, Harfang. — Ed. 



