OUR HOME BIRDS. 
193 
their food, and merely uttered a cry of lamentation 
when the carver disappeared. 
“ He would then accompany the pigeons in their 
flight round the house and gardens, and perch with 
them on the chimney-top or roof of the mansion; 
and never failed to do so early in the morning, when 
the pigeons always took their exercise. At night he 
retired with them to the dove-cote ; and although for 
some days he was the sole occupant of the place, the 
pigeons not approving of his society at first, he was 
afterward a welcome guest there, for he never dis- 
turbed them, even when the young ones, in their 
helpless, unfledged state, offered a strong temptation 
to his appetite. 
“He really seemed unhappy at any separation 
from the pigeons, and invariably returned to the 
dove-cote after a few days’ purposed confinement in 
another abode, during which he would utter most 
melancholy cries for deliverance ; but these were 
changed to cries of joy on the arrival of any per- 
son with whom he was familiar. 
“ The sparrow-hawk is said to be easily tamed if 
taken when young, and becomes quite affectionate. 
It is also useful in driving away or destroying the 
small birds that injure the seeds and fruit in a gar- 
den. Audubon says: ‘ No bird can be more easily 
raised and kept than this beautiful hawk. I once 
17 N 
