28 OUR BIRD ALLIES. 
or gamekeeper, and the possibility that a member of 
the hated race may almost wholly confine its attentions 
to non-preserved and highly injurious creatures is an 
idea that never enters into his imagination. And so, 
only too often is the kestrel to be seen adorning the 
barn-door, or the ‘‘keeper’s tree,” in company with 
the various unfortunate beings which are collectively 
ranked and treated as “‘ vermin.” 
According to a computation made many years ago 
by an experienced observer, each individual kestrel 
destroys, upon an average, during its stay in this 
country — roughly speaking, from February until 
October—no less than ten thousand mice. Whether 
this conclusion be exact or not, there can be no 
doubt that the number of these small rodents which 
annually fall victims to the bird is simply enormous. 
But for the labours of the kestrel by day, in fact, and 
of the owl by night, we should stand in considerable 
danger of sharing the fate of Bishop Hatto—save 
that mice would take the place of their larger rela- 
tives—and of being devoured, with all our substance, 
by our tiny but irresistible enemies. 
Mice, however, do not form the entire food of the 
kestrel, for it is particularly fond of certain beetles, 
and is especially serviceable in preying upon the 
cockchafer and the June-bug, which, as grubs, de- 
vastate various erops by gnawing through the roots, 
and, as perfect insects, are almost equally mischievous 
by stripping trees of their foliage. These it captures 
and devours without pausing in its flight, deftly seizing 
its victim in its claws as it dashes past, and trans- 
