THE SPARROW-HAWK. 165

the middle toe on the foot is longer than the side ones, and
the claws are very crooked and sharp; the beak is of the
same form as that of all birds which kill their prey and eat
it in a fresh state, being curved from the base. Hawks are
pretty numerous, and are found in almost every part of the
world, in rich lowland districts; they build more in trees
than either the eagle or falcon, between which they are in
many respects intermediate.

Faxco (Accipiter) Nisus.—The Sparrow Hawk.

This species, which is very widely distributed in every
part of the world, is very probably the “hawk” mentioned
in Leviticus ; it is found in all climates, from Russia to the
Cape of Good Hope. It was held in great veneration by
the ancient Egyptians, as the emblem of their deity Osiris ;
and by the Greeks it was consecrated to Apollo. The male
is about twelve, the female fifteen inches in length; the
plumage is of a deep bluish-grey, the under parts cream-
colour, with transverse bars of a deep brown or orange; the
quill-feathers are dusky, barred with black ; the tail is of a
deep ash-colour, marked with broad black bars; the bill
and legs yellow. The female differs somewhat in colour,
the head, back, and wing-coverts being browner, the tail of
a brighter dove-colour, and the breast containing a greater