BRITISH BIRDS. 
2 7 
THE SPARROWHAWK. 
(Fa/co Nifus, Lin. — L’ Epervier, Buffi) 
The length of the male is twelve inches; that 
of the female fifteen : Its bill is blue, furniflied with 
bridles at the bafe, which overhang the noftrils ; 
the colour of the eye is bright orange ; the head is 
flat at the top, and above each eye is a firong bony 
projection, which feems as if intended to fecure 
it from external injury ; from this projection a 
few fcattered fpots of white form a faint line run- 
ning backward towards the neck ; the top of the 
head and all the upper parts of the body are of a 
dufky brown colour ; on the back part of the head 
there is a faint line of white ; the fcapulars are 
marked with two fpots of white on each feather ; 
the greater quill feathers and the tail are dufky, 
