78 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



destructive to game than the Hooded Crow, and no bird more 

 ornamental in the eyes of the naturahst than the poor, harmless, 

 and persecuted Kestrel. 



In answer to inquiries made concerning a supposed migration 

 southward of this species in winter, Mr J. Crawford, the Duke of 

 Sutherland's factor at Tongue, to whom I am greatly indebted for 

 many useful notes on the birds found in his part of the county, 

 writes, " Kestrels and Merlins remain with us all winter ; but it 

 has struck me that they are not so plentiful in winter, especially 

 if the weather is severe, otherwise they are more reserved in their 

 habits." This account agrees with others from many localities, and 

 naturalists may therefore safely conclude that a partial migration 

 does take place, but depends in its extent mainly, if not entirely, 

 upon the food-supply.* 



Five eggs are often laid by the Kestrel ; indeed, in Sutherland 

 I consider this to be the normal number, and I have several times 

 received six from the same nest. The colouring does not vary so 

 much as in some other localities where, doubtless, their food is 

 more varied and more abundant. Amongst many which I have 

 taken in, or received from tlie county, very few indeed have varied 

 much from the type, though in one or two nests beautiful light- 

 coloured specimens have been procured. Kestrel's eggs, generally, 

 are easily distinguishable from those of Merlins, by their greater 

 comparative thickness, though specimens do frequently occur 

 which it would be almost impossible to identify. 



SPAREOW HAWK. 



ACCIPITER NISUS [Linnaeus). 



This species has not as yet appeared in the west of the county ; 

 but when the fir plantations around Loch Inver and elsewhere 

 attain a greater height, I have no doubt the Sparrow Hawk will 

 advance from the east. At present it is not uncommon at Rose- 

 hall, and in wooded districts in the east. In 18G9, through the 

 kindness of Mr J. Crawford, I obtained two ^ggs of this bird, 

 taken near Tongue. He informed me that the birds had only 

 bred on one previous occasion in the Tongue district — viz., in 



* In the winter of 1869-70 I was much surprised at the unusual numbers of 

 Kestrels which were present in Stirlingshire. There had been httle or no snow 

 in that county, while further north there had been an unusually heavy fall. 



