THE KESTREL OR WINDHOVER. 53 



of noxious small quadrupeds and reptiles, its ex- 

 ertions far surpass those of any other British bird 

 of prey. Its favourite food appears to be the 

 long-tailed field-mouse (Mus sylvaticus), whose 

 depredations on the bark and upper roots of 

 young timber and fruit trees are notorious ; it is 

 also known to consume vast quantities of beetles, 

 which in the larva state are injurious to vege- 

 tation ; and I have myself seen a female of this 

 species seize, carry off, and ultimately kill a full- 

 grown rat. I was walking at the time on a high 

 road near Petworth, which was flanked on either 

 side by a deep ditch ; about a hundred yards in 

 front lay a large heap of stones, and in the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood were several newly gleaned 

 stubble fields : over one of these hovered a female 

 kestrel; I was admiring her graceful evolutions^ 

 and the apparent ease with which, in the face of 

 a strong westerly breeze, she remained poised as 

 it were in the air, when she suddenly darted over 

 the hedge which separated the field from the road, 

 and seized a rat which had evidently just issued 

 from the heap of stones, and was running at the 

 top of its speed to the opposite ditch. So rapid 

 was the swoop, that it had not accomplished half 

 the distance before the bird was on its back : fix- 

 ing the talons of both feet across its shoulders and 

 loins, she arose, and although evidently retarded 



