2o6 Northern Observations of Inland Birds 



them were looking at him in the most impudent manner. 

 As the car drew near the hawk flew off, at which the two 

 Httle birds fell in mechanically behind him, as though 

 to see him off the premises. A little further on the hawk 

 again settled on the wires, and again the two officious 

 atoms settled on respective sides. This was repeated 

 three or four times, till eventually the hawk flew out 

 of the home range of the two small birds, for we saw them 

 returning in the direction from which they had come. 



The kestrel is the little brown hawk which not un- 

 commonly flies and alights ahead of roadfarers, making 

 great use of the telegraph wires, or occasionally alighting, 

 by way of variety, on a boulder of rock or on the top of 

 a fence. When flying he is almost invisible against the 

 fallow he so often frequents. These hawks are very partial 

 to open roadways or to railroads and consequently are 

 more often seen than any other birds of prey. I believe 

 they frequent these open places because beetles are easily 

 caught there, and because the mice, on which they mainly 

 depend, are more visible. True that we seldom see mice 

 on the road during the day, but the fact that we do not see 

 them does not prove that they are not there. I have at 

 times sat very quietly at the roadside and seen mice come 

 out and run across the macadam, but they are so small, 

 and their movements so quick, that they are almost 

 invisible even from a few yards away. One sees the 

 movement, rather than any suggestion of a mouse. At 

 night time, carrying a powerful light, I have repeatedly 

 seen mice hop across the open way — in certain localities 

 almost as abundant as autumn leaves. Let anyone who 

 doubts this go out with an acetylene lantern, and keep 

 his eyes keenly fixed on the white ray ahead. 



As has been pointed out in every bird book written for 

 some years, the kestrel is a good friend to mankind, deserv- 

 ing all the protection that can be given to it, but un- 



