24, ERYTHROPUS VESPERTINUS sll ge ee Ra SSCP 15 SXONe 
ORANGE-LEGGED Hospy. 
Although truly but an accidental visitor, at least thirty specimens 
have from time to time been killed in the British Islands, the 
greater number in England—lIreland and Scotland contributing only 
one each. 
Genus Trnnuncuuus. 
The birds trivially termed Kestrels comprise many species which 
are very generally dispersed over the Old World, Australia not ex- 
cepted. Inthe New they are less numerous ; and those that are there . 
found have been formed by Professor Kaup into a distinct genus, 
that of Pecilornis. 
95) JTINNUNCULUS ALAUDARTUS! i. ie) 21 io. WViol aE MBIARXGxae 
KestTREL. 
The “ Windhover,” as this bird is also termed, is so well known 
to every one who visits the country and “has eyes to see, and a mind 
to observe,” that any special comment respecting it is unnecessary. 
The whole of Britain, the continent of Europe, Africa, India, and 
China are also frequented by it. Its food is much varied ; for it eats 
mice, insects, mollusks, fish occasionally, and the young of most of 
the field-loving birds which nest on the ground, and, when oppor- 
tunity offers, does not object to the young of the Partridge and 
Quail. Such propensities, however, are in my opinion but a trifling 
counterpoise to the usefulness of this elegant bird ; in fact it deserves 
protection instead of that extermination which will be its fate if a 
more friendly feeling than at present exists cannot be created in its 
favour. 
26. TINNUNCULUS CENCHRIS. 
Lesser Kestrel. 
In June 1868, the Museum of the Yorkshire Philosophical 
Society was ‘fortunate enough to obtain a fine specimen, killed 
within a few miles of York, of a species of Falcon, the occurrence 
of which in this country has, I believe, never before been authenti- 
cally recorded, namely the Little Kestrel of South-eastern Europe, 
(Tinnunculus cenchris, Naum.). The specimen, which is a mature, 
but apparently not an old male, was presented to the Museum by 
Mr. John Harrison, of Wilstrop Hall, near Green Hammerton, who 
shot it upon his farm at that place, after having observed it for some 
little time flying about. The date, he thinks, was about the middle 
of last November ; but of this he took no note, as he at first thought 
the bira was merely a small and curious variety of the common 
Kestrel. It, however, presents all the distinctive characters of 
Tinnunculus cenchris, among which the yellowish-white claws may 
be mentioned as affording an easy means of identifying the bird.” 
This bird has been forwarded by the authorities of the Museum 
