HAR D WI CKES S CIENCE • G O SSIP. 



101 



mice, beetles, and such like, when this or other 

 equally useful birds have been so ruthlessly exter- 

 minated ; but I have just read of a recent instance 

 which ought to act as a warning to all farmers. It 

 has been stated that the borderlands of Scotland are 

 being overrun by immense numbers of mice, the 

 smaller mammalia, beetles, and such like destructive 

 creatures, and that the farmers there are encouraging 

 these hawks to stay, being now fully convinced of the 

 folly of destroying them. 



The Kestrel has a great number of provincial 

 names, but the one by which it is commonly known 

 is that of "Windhover." It acquires this suitable 

 appellation on account of its hovering or poising 

 itself on outstretched wings in mid-air. In Sweden, 

 " Old Bushman " says it is named the " Torn falk." 



It may easily be seen that the Kestrel is not the 

 bird's enemy whenever one appears in the vicinity of 

 a flock of birds, for, instead of the hurry and pre- 

 cipitation so apparent on the approach of that dreaded 

 little tyrant, the Sparrowhawk, the birds quietly 

 pursue their peaceful duties, as if there were nothing 

 extraordinary or to be feared in the Kestrel's presence. 

 At times, Swallows {Hirundidce), actuated by play- 

 fulness or a desire to tease and torment the "Wind- 

 hover," will mob it in the same manner that they 

 do the Sparrowhawk, and, like the latter, it will 

 sometimes retaliate, and, from being pursued, will 

 itself become the pursuer. 



Keepers place traps in likely situations, near the 

 nest and elsewhere, in which to entrap this bird. A 

 keeper in the habit of doing this, on going his 

 daily rounds to visit his traps, perceived a Kestrel in 

 one of them, which, on seeing him (not liking the 

 prospect of having its neck twisted), made strenuous 

 exertions to retrain its former freedom, and was so 

 far successful that it escaped, leaving, however, about 

 half of one of its legs attached to the trap. 



The "Windhover" may easily be distinguished 

 from the Sparrowhawk : (a) by its hovering in the 

 air, which the latter does not practise to such 

 perfection as the former; (/>) in straightforward 

 flight it has neither the dash nor the rapidity so no- 

 ticeable in the Sparrowhawk. It flies along gently, 

 while the Sparrowhawk sweeps rapidly on, now 

 swooping at this, then at that, {c) When seen off 

 the wing, the " Windhover" is also easily known by 

 its inclined and rather stooping posture, while the 

 Sparrowhawk stands "as straight as an arrow," bid- 

 ding defiance to everything by all its movements and 

 actions. Even the uncouth country-lad can perceive 

 the difference between these two, for, on asking a 

 little rough-headed boy on the outskirts of Sheffield 

 if there were " any hawks about there," he replied, 

 " Which hawk do you mean ; the one which catches 

 pigeons, or the one which stands still in the air?" 

 — by the former, meaning the Sparrowhawk, and the 

 latter, the Kestrel. The Kestrel takes great delight 

 in tormenting other birds, — above all, the Owl 



(Strigid(c), which appears to be the "laughing- 

 stock " (if I may so use the expression) for all birds. 

 The cry of the Kestrel is a strong, wild, ringing note, 

 which becomes harsh and loud on the threatened 

 approach of any danger to either its young or its 

 eggs. 



Flight. — The flight of this bird is very light and 

 airy. Generally, it flies at a moderate distance from 

 the earth, but during, or rather on, the choice of a 

 building site it soars high up in the air, when its 

 actions are most elegant. The question then arises, 

 " What is the Kestrel's object in soaring so high? 5 ' 



Fig. 70. The Kestrel {Falco tinnuncuhis). 



"Is it seeking to discover food from so great an alti- 

 tude?" No. It is the joyousness of the bird which 

 prompts its lofty flight and graceful evolutions so 

 high up in the heavens. When on the ' ' look-out ' ' for 

 sustenance it flies at a moderate elevation, that it 

 may drop down suddenly and unexpectedly on its 

 prey and secure it before it has sufficient time 

 to escape. If the "Windhover" attempted to 

 descend (even were it possible for it to discern ils 

 prey from the great height to which the Kestrel often 

 ascends) its intended victim, startled by the rushing 

 noise which the bird's velocity causes in descending, 

 would have time to escape the talons of its would- 



