OF THE MARSH 189 



because of its hawk-like appearance ; but the 

 Meadow-pipit, the very nurse and rearer of the 

 Cuckoo itself, vehemently attacks the Cuckoo-like 

 hawk. This strange unreason culminates when in 

 spring the Meadow-pipit attacks, as I have seen it 

 attack, the Cuckoo, although the bird may well have 

 been its own nursling, or its offspring later become 

 the object of the maternal devotion of one of its 

 kind. 



When thus molested by Meadow-pipits (as I 

 should have thought beyond endurance) the Kestrel 

 never deviates from its mouse-hunting to pursue the 

 aggressors. Continuing to hover in mid-air, he 

 ignores the running charge of his touch-and-go 

 assailants, at most giving sign of impatience when 

 he darts suddenly ahead or escapes into a tree. Yet 

 the Meadow-pipit must surely be within the powers 

 of the Kestrel if it chose to pursue it. 



Another curious attack upon the Kestrel came 

 under my notice in this place at this time, an attack 

 which more than ever left me wondering what 

 provocation the assailant could possibly have received 

 from the Kestrel. 



Being on the bank of the river on the morning of 

 the 24th September, 1904, I observed a solitary 

 Rook bullying a hovering Kestrel with the greatest 

 gusto. That it was thoroughly enjoying itself 

 appeared from the cheerful " Pr-r-r!" with which it 

 punctuated every descent upon the hawk. The 

 latter seemed quite a small bird in comparison with 

 the Rook, and was evidently getting the worst of 

 the fray. As usual, it continued to hover, as if it 

 would fain take no notice of the attack, and when the 



