T96 KESTREL. Class II. 



crown of the head, and the greater part of the tail, 

 are of a fine light grey, the lower end of the latter 

 is marked with a broad black bar : the inner webs 

 of the three feathers next the two middle barred 

 with black: the tips white : the back and coverts 

 of the wings are of a brick red, elegantly fpotted 

 with black : the interior fides of the quil feathers 

 are duflcy, deeply indented with white. The whole 

 under fide of the bird, of a pale ruft color, fpot- 

 ted with black ; the thighs and vent only, plain. 

 Female. The female Weighs eleven ounces: the color 

 of the back and wings are far lefs bright than thofe 

 of the male : it differs too in the colors of the head 

 and tail ♦, the former being of a pale reddilh 

 brown, ftreaked with black ; the latter of the fame 

 color, marked with numerous tranfverfe black 

 bars : the bread is of a dirty yellowilh white ; and 

 the middle of each feathe/ has an oblong dufky 

 flreak, pointing downwards. 



The keftrel breeds in the hollows of trees, in the 

 holes of high rocks, towers and ruined buildings : 

 it lays four eggs, of the fame color with thofe of 

 the preceding fpecies : its food is field mice, fmali 

 birds and infedts -, which it will difcover at a great 

 diftance. This is the hawk that we fo frequently 

 fee in the air fixed in one place, and as it were 

 fanning it with its wings-, at which time it is watch- 

 ing for its prey. It flings up the indigefled fur and 

 feathers in form of a round ball. When falconry 



was 



