AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
23 1 
interrupted spots of brown; skin white; femorals and vent 
pale brownish white, the former marked with a few minute 
heart-shaped spots of brown; legs yellow, feathered half way 
below the knees.” 
The male differs from the female in being somewhat 
smaller and having more brightness of colour throughout 
its plumage, and a more strongly defined black band across 
the tail. 
We are indebted to the Philadelphia Museum for the use 
of the beautiful bird from which our drawing is made. It 
was alive and kept by Mr. T. R. Peale for some time, and 
afterwards most beautifully prepared by him. I. D. 
AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. 
FALCO SPAR VERIUS. 
[Plate XX. Female.] 
Falco Sparverius. Linn. Syst. ed. 10, p. 90. Gmel. Syst. 
1, p. 284. Ind. Orn. p. 42. — Emerillon de St. Domin- 
gue, Buff. 1, 291. PI. enl. 465. Arct. Zool. 212. — Lit- 
tle Falcon, Lath. Syn. V. 1, p. 114, No. 94, ib. 95. — 
Little Hawk, Arct. Zool. 211, No. 110. — Emerillon 
de Cayenne, Buff. 1 , 291. PI. enl. No. 444. — F. Do- 
minicensis, Gmel. Syst. 1, p. 285. — Little Hawk, 
Catesby, 1 , p. 5. — V Emerillon de la Caroline, Briss. 
Orn. 1, p. 386. — Tinnunculus Sparverius, Vieil Ois. 
de l’Am. Sept. p. 12, 13. — J. Doughty’s Collection. 
“ In no department of ornithology has there been greater 
confusion, or more mistakes made, than among this class of 
birds of prey. The great difference of size between the 
male and female, the progressive variation of plumage to 
which, for several years, they are subject, and the difficulty 
of procuring a sufficient number of specimens for examina- 
tion; all these causes conspire to lead the naturalist into al- 
most unavoidable mistakes. According to fashionable eti- 
quette the honour of precedence, in the present instance, is 
given to the female of this species; both because she is the 
most courageous, the largest, and the handsomest of the two, 
best ascertained, and less subject to change of colour than 
the male. 
“ This bird is a constant resident in almost every part of 
the United States, particularly in the States north of Mary- 
land. In the southern States there is a smaller species found, 
which is destitute of the black spots on the head; the legs 
are long and very slender, and the wings light blue. This 
has been supposed, by some, to be the male of the present 
species; but this is an error. The eye of the present spe- 
cies is dusky; that of the smaller species a brilliant orange; 
the former has the tail rounded at the end, the latter slightly 
forked. Such essential differences never take place between 
two individuals of the same species. It ought, however, to 
be remarked, that in all the figures and descriptions I have 
hitherto met with of the bird now before us, the iris is re- 
presented of a bright golden colour; but in all the specimens 
I have shot I uniformly found the eye very dark, almost 
black, resembling a globe of black glass. No doubt the 
golden colour of the iris would give the figure of the bird 
a more striking appearance; but in works of natural history 
to sacrifice truth to mere picturesque effect, is detestable; 
though, I fear, but too often put in practice. 
“ The nest of this species is usually built in a hollow tree; 
generally pretty high up, where the top or a large limb has 
been broken off. I have never seen its eggs; but have been 
told that the female generally lays four or five, which are of 
a light brownish yellow colour, spotted with a darker tint; 
the young are fed on grasshoppers, mice, and small birds, 
the usual food of the parents. 
“ The habits and manners of this bird are well known. 
It flies rather irregularly, occasionally suspending itself in 
the air, hovering over a particular spot for a minute or two, 
and then shooting off in another direction. It perches on 
the top of a dead tree, or pole in the middle of a field or 
meadow, and as it alights shuts its long wings so suddenly 
that they seem instantly to disappear; it sits here in an al- 
most perpendicular position, sometimes for an hour at a time, 
frequently jerking its tail, and reconnoitering the ground 
belowj in every direction, for mice, lizards, &c. It ap- 
proaches the farm-house, particularly in the morning, skulk- 
ing about the barn-yard for mice or young chickens. It 
frequently plunges into a thicket after small birds, as if by 
random; but always with a particular, and generally a fatal, 
aim. One day I observed a bird of this species perched on 
the highest top of a large poplar, on the skirts of the wood; 
and was in the act of raising the gun to my eye when he 
swept down with the rapidity of an arrow into a thicket of 
briars about thirty yards off, where I shot him dead; and 
on coming up found a small field sparrow quivering in his 
grasp. Both our aims had been taken in the same instant, 
and, unfortunately for him, both were fatal. It is particu- 
larly fond of watching along hedge-rows, and in orchards, 
where those small birds, usually resort. When grass- 
hoppers are plenty, they form a considerable part of its 
food. 
‘‘Though small snakes, mice, lizards, &c. be favourite 
morsels with this active bird; yet we are not to suppose it 
altogether destitute of delicacy in feeding. It will seldom 
