OSPREY. 141 
and beetles, whose fragmentary remains are readily 
discerned in the pellets of the bird. 
In Wirral and the Plain, the Kestrel breeds in woods 
and plantations, utilising the old nest of a Ring Dove, 
Magpie, or other large bird. Brockholes has known 
the eggs to be laid on the old nest of a Sparrow Hawk, 
and states that the bird sometimes breeds in a hollow 
tree In the Eastern Hills the eggs are usually laid 
upon the rocky ledge of an escarpment, or in a disused 
quarry. 
During the autumn and winter the Kestrel does not 
keep so closely to the plantations and pheasant-coverts, 
but frequents the more open country. It is then that 
the bird is more frequently noticed, as it hangs poised 
with rapidly vibrating wings and depressed tail, search- 
ing the pastures for its prey, or as it glides with easy 
flight to repeat these tactics in another situation. 
The female Kestrel often exhibits considerable pluck 
when she imagines that her brood is in danger. When 
near her nest, Coward has seen one hover screaming 
above him, making repeated dashes downwards to 
within ten or a dozen feet of his head, although at 
the time he held a gun in his hand. To try the effect 
he pointed the weapon at the bird, but only increased 
her anger; and she never went out of gun-shot as long 
as he remained in the vicinity of the nest. 
OSPREY. 
PANDION HALIAETUS (Linnzus). 
The Osprey has rarely wandered to the county, but 
has been noticed on three occasions—two of which 
1 Brockholes, op. cit. p. 4. 
