22 FALCONIDJil. 



THE EED-FOOTED HOBBY. 



FALCO RUFIPES. 



Wings and tail of equal length ; plumage dark bluish grey, without spots ; that 

 of the thighs and the under tail-coverts deep yellowish red ; cere and feet red ; 

 claws yellow. Female— hend and neck yellowish red ; back, dusky blue, 

 barred with black ; tail, bluish-grey, barred and tipped with black ; lower 

 plumage, light yellowish red, streaked with dusky brown. Length, ten inches. 



This Ealcon, wliicli inhabits Switzerland and tlie northern 

 countries of Europe, is only a rare visitant in England, 

 not more than a dozen authenticated instances of its 

 appearance being on record. lb is of small size, and much 

 resembles a diminutive Hobby, from which, however, 

 it differs greatly in habits, confining its food exclusively 

 to beetles and other insects, for Avhich it hawks only 

 in the evenings. It builds its nest either in the hollows 

 of trees, or appropriates the deserted nest of some other 

 bird. 



THE KESTEIL. 



FALCO TINNUNCULUS. 



Wings shoi'ter than the tail ; upper plumage, neck and breast, dark -lead grey ; 

 sides, under tail-coverts and thighs, light-yellowish red, with longitudinal 

 narrow dark streaks ; beak blue, lighter towards the base ; cere and feet 

 yellow; irides brown ; claws black. i^'emaZe- upper plumage and tail light 

 red, with transverse spots and bars of dark brown ; lower, paler than in tlie 

 male. Length, fifteen inches ; breadth, thirty inches. Eggs, reddisli white, 

 blotched and mottled with dark red-brown. 



The Kestril being the most abundant and by far tlie 

 most conspicuous in its habits of all the British birds of 

 prey, is probably, in most instances, the bird which has 

 been observed whenever the appearance of "a Hawk" has 

 been mentioned. Though rapid in flight w^henever it 

 chooses to put forth its full powers, it is more remarkable 

 for the habit ^vhich has acquired for it the name of 



