WILD WINGS: A FAREWELL 305 



a casual manner to the peewit pretendinj^ all the time 

 to be honestly seeking for something; himself but watch- 

 ing the other's motions very keenly to be ready at the 

 prime moment when a grub is being pulled out to make 

 a dash for it. 



There was another bird who took no part at all in 

 the work and play of the others — a kestrel who made 

 the meadows his daily hunting-ground. What he was 

 finding I could not discover as I never saw him lift 

 a vole and it was too late for insects. Anyhow, he 

 was often there and the other birds took not the slight- 

 est notice of him; even the smallest in the company, 

 the larks, pipits, and wagtails, knew him for a harmless 

 person. But one day while he was flying about hover- 

 ing at intervals and dropping to the earth, a flock of 

 about fifty starlings came flying to the meadow and 

 after circling round as if just going to alight they all 

 at once appeared to change their minds — or mind — and 

 mounting up again until they were about twenty yards 

 above the kestrel, began follow-ing his movements, and 

 when he hovered six or seven birds detached them- 

 selves from the flock and dropped like stones upon his 

 back. He struck them angrily off and flying a little 

 distance away began searching again; but they followed 

 and no sooner did he hover than down again came half 

 a dozen starlings on to his back. 



After this annoyance had been repeated five or six 

 times he flew away to another part of the meadow and 

 resumed his hunting there. Again the starlings fol- 

 lowed and repeated the former action each time he 



