KESTREL.— SPARROW-HAWK. 13 



eating them while on the wing. Mr. Knox states (O. R. 

 p. 54) that ornithologists are aware that the slowworm 

 {Angids fragilis) is constantly devoured by this Falcon, 

 and mentions that a specimen was shot in his neighbourhood 

 in the act of killing a large adder. He also quotes an ex- 

 tremely interesting account of the Kestrel from the late 

 Mr. Waterton^s 'Essays on Natural History' (1st series, 

 3rd ed. p. 261). Though no kinds of bird appear to be its 

 usual food, that it does sometimes betake itself to them is 

 proved by its occasionally pouncing on the call-birds of the 

 birdcatchers. The Kestrel is generally known in Sussex as 

 the "Windhover Hawk/-" or " Windfanner/' It appears 

 never to hunt in concert, and its usual habit is to hover a 

 considerable time over its prey, and to take it by dropping 

 suddenly upon it from a height. 



The chalk cliffs in the south of the county seem to be now 

 its principal stronghold, though it has occasionally bred in 

 some of the chalk-pits so numerous on the South Downs. 

 I well remember seeing a pair which appeared to have estab- 

 lished themselves on the spire of Chichester Cathedral. 



SPARROW-HAWK. 



Accipiter nisus. 



Though this species may be occasionally met with in all 

 parts of the county, it more especially haunts the wooded 

 and enclosed districts. 



There is perhaps a greater disparity in the relative size of 

 the two sexes in this species than in any other of our birds 

 of prey. It is said to construct its own nest, but, like the 

 Kestrel, it is partial to the old ones of the Carrion-Crow or 

 Magpie ; it also builds in plantations of fir, especially of 



