“t{i male and female, as fair and perfect specimens 
f» L- ’“ay come into my possession. According 
^monable etiquette, the honour of precedence, in the 
t ®fnt instance, is given to female of this species; 
ana because she is the most courageous, the largest 
. handsomest of the two, best ascertained, and less 
fp ‘Ject to change of colour than the male, who will 
li^aire some farther examination, and more observation, 
\C['e We can venture to introduce him. 
(if ,h's bird is a constant resident in almost every part 
V.'he United States, particularly in the states north ol 
j ^Uland. In the southern states there is a smaller 
th i'®* found, which is destitute of the black spots on 
head ; the legs arc long and very slender, and the 
U hgbt blue. This has been suppose^ by some, to 
jL*he male of the present species ; but this is an evror. 
, *ye of the nreseiit species is dusky ; that of the 
t^her species a brilliant orange; the fonuerhas^ the 
^‘’•Ohnirfat the end, the latter slightly /orAcrf. Such 
differences never take place between tvvo 
of tlie same siMM:ios. It ouj^ht, how ever, to 
k,'''‘>harked, that in all the figures and descnjitions 1 
iri ’® hitherto met with of the bird now before us, the 
represented of a bright golden colour; but, m all 
V(.p **Pe‘'iniens I have shot, 1 uniformly found the eye 
jjl y dark, almost black, resembling a globe of black 
J^o doubt the golden colour of the ins would 
’ ® ?he figure of the bird a more striking appearance ; 
, Works of natural history, to sacrifice 
®P>cturt “ ■ ' ■ ' ' 
AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. 
57 
of 
to 
hut_ 
rSer 
too ,i’‘®''kres(jne el 
tree*'® nest^lf 'this species is usually built iii a follow 
'iml ’ f-'^i'erally pretty high up, where the top, or a lar„e 
bu?/ has been broken off. I have never «ren its eggs; 
o?‘>’febeen told, that the female ^renera y lays four 
wr®’ " liieh are of a light brownish yellow colour, 
hoi' "’'th a darker tint ; the young are feh on grass- 
«‘ice, and sniaU birds, the usual food of the 
^uts. 
’^he habits and manners of this bird are well known. 
