KESTREL FALCON. 333 



just like a parrot, seizing fast hold by the bill, and moving the 

 feet alternately. In this way he will clamber either up or 

 down, horizontally or diagonally, all over the cage." 



Kestrels taken from the nest are easily tamed, so as to be- 

 come familiar, confiding, and in some degree obedient. The 

 species was formerly trained to pursue small birds, such as 

 quails, snipes, and larks, and was held in considerable estima- 

 tion. Mr Thompson of Belfast states that " the kestrel has 

 been so far trained by Mr AVilliam Sinclaire as, when given 

 its liberty, to attend and soar above him like the peregrine fal- 

 con, and fly at small birds let off from the hand. One of these 

 hawks, which was kept by this gentleman in the town of Bel- 

 fast, had its freedom, and flew every evening to roost in an ex- 

 tensive plantation in the country, about a mile distant, in fly- 

 ing to and from which it was at first recognised by the sound 

 of the bells attached to its legs. This bird returned regularly 

 to its town domicile at an early hour in the morning." 



Mr Waterton, who has given a pleasing account of this bird 

 in his Essays on Natural History, finds it migratory in his 

 neighbourhood, and is "of opinion that a very large propor- 

 tion of those which are bred in England leave it in the autumn, 

 to join the vast flights of hawks which are seen to pass periodi- 

 cally over the ISIediterraneau Sea, on their way to Africa. 

 Last summer," he continues, " I visited twenty-four nests in 

 my park, all with the windhover's eggs in them. The old 

 birds and their young tarried here till the departure of the 

 swallow, and then they disappeared. During the winter, there 

 is scarcely a windhover to be found. Sometimes a pair or so 

 makes its appearance, but does not remain long. When Fe- 

 bruary has set in, more of the windhovers are seen ; and about 

 the middle of the month their numbers have much increased. 

 They may be then heard at all hours of the day ; and he who 

 loves to study nature in the fields may observe them, now on 

 soaring wing, high above in the blue expanse of heaven ; now 

 hovering near the earth, ready to pounce upon the luckless 

 mouse ; and now inspecting the deserted nests of crows and 

 magpies, in order to secure a commodious retreat, wherein to 

 perform their approaching incubation. Allowing, on an aver- 



