87 
This bird seldom makes a nest, but gene- 
rally takes possession of that which has been 
deserted by a crow. It lays four or five 
eggs of a dirty white ; sometimes of a bluish 
tinge, blotched at the large and sometimes, 
though rarely, at the smaller end with rust 
colour. 
This species has much of the nature of 
the Goshawk, and wants only the power of 
that bird to be equally formidable to the 
feathered tribe. Like that bird it fles low* 
skims over hedges and walls, and thus enters 
a farm-yard or a chicken court, snatches up 
a young one, and is again out of sight before 
the mother of the brood can, by her well- 
known cry of alarm, call them under her 
protection. Thus are young broods often 
diminished, as it were, by magic art, and 
few suspect the real plunderer. 
A friend of Mr. Montagu's, who had a 
brood of young ducks of a favourite breed 
upon his bowling-green, lost one daily, until 
nine out of twelve had been taken, notwith- 
standing every means had been resorted to 
for the destruction of the enemy. Cats, rats, 
and other four-footed depredators were sua- 
