AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. 
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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 represented of a bright 
golden colour ; but, in all the specimens I have shot, I uni- 
formly 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 almost perpen- 
dicular position, sometimes for an hour at a time, frequently 
jerking its tail, and reconnoitring the ground below, in every 
direction, for mice, lizards, &c. It approaches the farm-house, 
particularly in the morning, skulking 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 parti- 
cular, 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 
