172 BRITAIN S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 



inland generally do. It has been suggested that this is 

 connected with the food-supply — the Sea-fowl, which do 

 not reach their nesting-cliffs till well on in the season. 

 A curious point about these Sea-fowl is that those nesting 

 on adjacent ledges to the Falcons show little fear. The 

 Falcons seem to make a rule of never striking in the 

 vicinity of the eyrie, and though the birds nesting near 

 may not know this, they seem at least to get accustomed 

 to the presence of their natural enemies. The Falcon's 

 eggs have a very indistinctly blotched appearance, the 

 prevailing tones being warm orange brown and rich brick 

 red, both characteristic of the Order. Both birds incubate, 

 and the period is long. The young are hatched covered 

 with white down, as are all young Birds-of-Prey. They 

 are, however, helpless, and have to be tended by their 

 parents for many weeks before they reach full growth, 

 attain their first real plumage, are led from the nest, 

 and ultimately driven away. A typical trick that they 

 have in the nest often proves disastrous. They turn 

 over on their backs on the approach of danger and 

 present their talons to the foe. The wily falconer, 

 therefore, saves himself a risky climb by lowering to the 

 nest a ball of wool, in which the nestling's claws soon 

 become hopelessly entangled, allowing it to be drawn up ! 



THE KESTREL 



(Faico tinnunculus). 



Plate 54. 



This small Falcon is the commonest and most familiar 

 of our native Birds-of-Prey, and is found over the 

 greater part of our islands throughout the year, but 



