344 KESTREL. 



To the Faeroes the Kestrel is only a wanderer, and it has not been 

 obtained in Iceland; but on September 27th 1887 a female was 

 shot near Nantucket, Massachusetts, and examined in the flesh by 

 Mr. C. B. Cory. In Scandinavia its eggs have been found even as 

 far north as lat. 68° ; but there, and in Finland, it is rare near the 

 limit of its range, while in Russia its occurrence at Archangel 

 is accidental ; throughout the rest of Europe, however, it is common, 

 migrating more or less from the northern districts in winter, but 

 residing during the entire year in the south. Nowhere is it more 

 abundant than in Spain, and swarms may be seen, especially 

 towards sunset, circling round the lofty church-towers of Cordova 

 and Seville ; while above the great plains watered by the Guadal- 

 quivir many hundreds are often visible at the same moment, alter- 

 nately hovering and dropping down on their prey, which there con- 

 sists principally of beetles. The Azores, Madeira, and Northern 

 Africa as far as Abyssinia, are inhabited by a slightly smaller and 

 darker race ; while southward, the range of the Kestrel extends to the 

 latitude of the Cape of Good Hope. In Asia it reaches from the 

 Mediterranean to the Pacific, and from Siberia to Burma ; the birds 

 inhabiting the northern portion being paler than those found in and 

 to the south of Japan. In America the representative species is 

 F. sparvcrius, an example of which is said, though on very incomplete 

 evidence, to have been shot in Yorkshire in May 1883. 



The Kestrel seldom, if ever, builds' a nest, but either makes use 

 of the former dwelling of a Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon &c., or else 

 deposits its eggs in cavities in cliffs, chalk-pits, quarries, buildings, 

 and hollow trees, or even on the ground. The well-known eggs, 

 often laid in April, and 4-6 in number, are yellowish-white, mottled, 

 or often deeply suff'used, with brownish-red : average measurements 

 I "6 by I "3 in. In northern countries mice form its chief food, 

 birds being seldom taken ; in the south it feeds largely on beetles, 

 grasshoppers and other insects. Its graceful flight and shrill cry 

 are too familiar to need description. 



The adult male has the head, neck, lower back and tail bluish- 

 grey, the latter tipped with white below a broad black band ; back 

 pale chestnut, with small black spots ; under parts buff, streaked and 

 spotted with black ; cere, legs and feet yellow. Length 13 in. The 

 female has the upper parts rufous, barred with black; and, on the 

 tail, several narrow bands of black, with a broad one near the tip. 

 Very old hens partially assume the male plumage, and have more 

 or less blue on the rump and tail. Length 15 in. The young 

 resemble the female, but are somewhat lighter in colour. 



