KESTREL. 469 



In an individual examined in the beginning of De- 

 cember, the crop or dilated portion of the oesophagus 

 contained the posterior half of a short-tailed field- 

 mouse, which Iiad been swallowed head foremost, and 

 pai-t of a common earth-worm. In the stomach was 

 the other part of the mouse partially digested, along 

 with fragments of the worm, legs of Geotrupes sterco- 

 rarius, and a great mass of elytra and other remains of 

 smaller insects of the same order. 



In the stomachs of various kestrels examined by 

 me, I have found small glires of several species, of 

 which I could determine the long-tailed and the short- 

 tailed field-mice, young birds, among which I have dis- 

 tinguished the lapwing, the lark, the common thrush, 

 and two Sylvise, coleopterous insects, in particular Geo- 

 trupes stercorarius, and the earth-worm. 



FALCO .^SALON. THE MERLIN. P. 225. 



At page 225, it is stated that the eggs of the mer- 

 lin are very similar to those of the sparrow-hawk. 

 This is a mistake ; they resemble those of the kestreL 

 If for " sparrow-hawk, being bluish-white," you sub- 

 stitute kestrel, being reddish-white, you will be nearer 

 the truth. They are of an elliptical form, sometimes 

 ovate, and have a reddish-white or light red ground, 

 dotted, and frequently also spotted or blotched, with 

 deep red. The average size is as stated, but they vary 

 greatly. 



