HAWK AND HERNSHAW. 
75 
to the male sparrowhawk; “eyas” or “eyess,” as before 
explained, signifying a nestling, or young bird from the 
eyrie or nest. In the above speech, Mrs. Ford probably 
intended to imply no more than we should now-a-days 
mean by the expression “ a perky little fellow.” 
The words of Hamlet with reference to a hawk must be 
familiar to all readers of Shakespeare, the more so, 
possibly, because the passage in question appears to have 
puzzled many commentators :— 
“ I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is 
southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw .” 
Hamlet, Act. ii. Sc. 2. 
The explanation is simple enough. The last word 
should be “ hernshaw,” the old name for the heron. It is 
not every one who knows a hawk from a heron when he 
sees it, although it is scarcely possible to conceive two 
birds more unlike in appearance. Hamlet’s statement, 
then, is simply to the effect that he only feigned madness 
when it suited his purpose; at other times he could even 
outwit the many, and see a distinction where they, from 
ignorance, would fail. 
The ingenuity which has been exercised in a laudable 
endeavour to interpret this passage is really surprising. 
“An ingenious friend,” says the Athenceum* “suggests 
the following explanation :—‘ Among the ancient JEgyp- 
December 30th, 1865. 
