188 THE PLOUGHING 



have been the work of the Kestrel, it is more likely 

 to have been that of the Sparrow-hawk, which scours 

 our meadows at times, and upon which I have come 

 when it has been in the act of plucking its victim. 



It may be objected that, if the Kestrel were not 

 the enemy of smaller birds, the latter would not so 

 persistently attack it whenever it appeared. Birds 

 might be supposed to be the best judges of their own 

 enemies ; but it requires little observation to suggest 

 that they are not. Thus, many small birds attack 

 the Cuckoo, and that this is not due solely to the 

 latter's habit of meddling with their nests seems 

 probable from the fact that other birds, such as 

 Starlings, whose nests this bird is not in the habit of 

 visiting, will also rise at a Cuckoo as at a hawk. 

 Further, Sand-martins and Meadow-pipits frequently 

 mob Missel-thrushes on the wing, and the grating note 

 emitted by the latter as they do so, by resembling 

 to some extent the chatter of a Kestrel, possibly 

 contributes to the illusion. To complete the circle, 

 the Kestrel has no more determined persecutor than 

 the Missel-thrush. 



Strangest of all, perhaps, is the fact that when our 

 Sand-martins retire, they turn the Kestrel over to 

 the attentions of the Meadow-pipits then beginning 

 to collect in large numbers in our open lands. To 

 see this bird, prime dupe and foster-parent of the 

 hawk-like Cuckoo, rise in hundreds about the 

 hovering Kestrel, not hesitating to cross and recross 

 beneath him in a ceaseless stream, apparently to 

 confuse his view, leaves one marvelling at the 

 elusive or illogical motives underlying such conduct. 

 For, small birds are held to attack the Cuckoo 



