THE SPARROW-HAWK. 
67 
It is interesting when the pursued fly to man for security. 
When Major Higginson was once riding over the mountains, north- 
ward of Glenarm, a skylark, pursued by a hawk (doubtless either 
this species, or a merlin), made several attempts “ to fly into his 
breast,” but failing in this, sought shelter beneath the body of 
his horse. He instantly alighted, and took up the lark, whose 
little heart was beating most violently, during which time, the 
hawk kept so near, that his whip was in requisition, in the hope 
that the lash might reach it. Inconsiderately, he concealed the 
lark in the heath merely, instead of carrying it to some distance, 
as the hawk was observed to remain about the spot, and, in all 
probability, the poor bird, though respited for a time, eventually 
fell its victim. Some years ago, a swallow in the neighbourhood 
of Belfast, actually did take refuge in a lady's breast from a spar- 
row-hawk. As a sporting friend was shooting upon his moor in 
Ayrshire, in the month of October, a lark, pursued by a merlin 
( Falco asalon), came from the distance of about a hundred yards 
directly towards him and his servant, and alighted near their feet, 
apparently for safety. On reaching the ground, it was so ex- 
hausted as to be unable to close its wings. 
Sparrow-hawk and Heron. — Once, at the end of July, when 
walking along the side of the river Lagan, near Belfast, I was 
attracted by the loud screams of herons, which appeared above 
the trees at the north-west extremity of Belvoir Park. A couple 
of these giants of the air kept flying above the tops of the trees 
with tremendous uproar, in consequence of the presence of a single 
sparrow-hawk ! This bird was circling about, and the herons 
awkwardly and quite unavailingly endeavouring to strike him. 
Plying quite at ease, his turns were so short, and, at the same 
time, so full of grace, that he seemed to laugh to scorn their heavy 
lumbering movements. The herons' savage cries were apparently 
(evidently, might almost be said) caused by the hawk's make- 
believe attempt to carry off their young, as they were particularly 
violent and vociferous whenever he made a swoop, — as I remarked 
him to do thrice, — at the top of a particular tree. It seemed a mere 
play or bravado on the part of the hawk, as he could easily, in 
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