THE SPARROWHAWK. 
561 
of these birds, which had followed a Yellowhammer with 
such impetuosity into a thicket of thorns, that it became 
entangled, and was caught itself. “ As soon as I had the 
bird, I tied the ends of its wings together, and placed it 
in a room, in which there were eleven people, whom it 
regarded with flashing eyes. I then went and brought six 
young sparrows, one of which I let go; this it immediately 
seized and strangled in its claws, and remained motionless 
looking at the company, crushing its prey in its talons. As 
it would not feed we left the room; and on returning ten 
minutes after, the Sparrow was devoured. The same scene 
was twice repeated, and with similar results*. The fourth 
Sparrow, however, was only half eaten when we returned; 
still the Hawk seized the remaining two with the same 
greedy ferocity, though it could not devour them, its crop 
being full.” The same naturalist relates another anecdote, 
as proof of this love of slaughter. “ In October, 1844, at 
the village of Tabarz, not far from Schnepfenthal, a cage 
containing a Goldfinch hung in a room ; the bird could not 
be seen from outside, but the reflection was visible in the 
looking-glass. The window was closed, and a woman was 
sitting in the room, when a Sparrowhawk suddenly dashed 
with the greatest violence at the looking-glass, but coming 
in violent contact with the window, which lay between it 
and the object of its attack, it smashed the pane, and fell 
stunned in the room. The would-be robber was seized; it 
recovered, and was kept alive for some time, but was finally 
killed.” This bird may be said to be, in the fullest sense 
of the word, perfectly blind in its rage. My father had a 
female Sparrowhawk given him, which had been caught 
with its prey, a Jay, in a wood. The Jay had defended 
itself with determination, and the Hawk was so intent on 
its prey that in its rage it allowed itself to be seized 
