ard by its hawk-like appearance, small head, wings
not so blunt, and longer tail. This specimen contained in its craw some
limbs of frogs and many grey snails without shells. The irides of the
eyes of this bird were of a beautiful bright yellow colour.

About the 10th July in the same summer a pair of sparrow-hawks bred in an
old crow's nest on a low beech in the same hanger; and as their brood,
which was numerous, began to grow up, became so daring and ravenous, that
they were a terror to all the dames in the village that had chickens or
ducklings under their care. A boy climbed the tree, and found the young
so fledged that they all escaped from him, but discovered that a good
house had been kept: the larder was well-stored with provisions, for he
brought down a young blackbird, jay, and house-martin, all clean picked,
and some half devoured. The old birds had been observed to make sad
havoc for some days among the new-flown swallows and martins, which,
being but lately out of their nests, had not acquired those powers and
command of wing that enable them, when more mature, to set such enemies
at defiance.

LETTER XLIV.

SELBORNE, _Nov. 30th_, 1780.

Dear Sir,--Every incident that occasions a renewal of our correspondence
will ever be pleasing and agreeable to me.

As to the wild wood-pigeon, the _OEnas_, or _Vinago_, of Ray, I am much
of your mind, and see no reason for making it the origin of the common
house-dove: but suppose those that have advanced that opinion may have
been misled by another appellation, often given to the _OEnas_, which is
that of stock-dove.

Unless the stock-dove in the winter varies greatly in manners from itself
in summer, no species seems more unlikely to be domesticated, and to make
a house-dove. We very rarely see the latter settle on trees at all, nor
does it ever haunt the woods; but the former, as long as it stays with
us, from November perhaps to February, lives the same wild life with the
ring-dove, _Palumbus torquatus_; frequents coppices and groves, supports
itself chiefly by mast, and delights to roost in the tallest beeches.
Could it be known in what manner stock-doves build, the doubt would be
settled with me at once, provided they construct their nests on trees,
like the ring-dove, as I much suspect they do.

You received, you say, last spring a stock-dove from Sussex, and are
informed that they sometimes breed in