

COMMISSARIAT DEPARTMENT. 61 



where the sickle has revealed the long-concealed 

 runs of the field-mouse (Mus sylvaticus), and 

 where the scattered grain attracts wandering 

 parties of the short- tailed vole (Arvicola agrestis) . 

 This, the most destructive of our diminutive 

 quadrupeds, equally injurious to the farmer, the 

 gardener and the proprietor of young plantations, 

 is now devoured in considerable numbers by the 

 kestrel. With the view of satisfying myself on 

 this point, I have occasionally shot and dissected 

 the bird at this season, when the contents of the 

 stomach removed all possibility of doubt. I have 

 also found the harvest mouse (Mus messorius), 

 which, as well as the young of the long-tailed 

 species, is frequently bolted whole by this hawk, 

 after the manner of an owl : but scarcely any kind 

 of large insect or diminutive quadruped comes 

 amiss. It luxuriates in grasshoppers. On one 

 occasion I observed a male kestrel beating a small 

 meadow for nearly an hour, flying much closer to 

 the ground than usual, every now and then drop- 

 ping down, and occasionally, but not invariably, 

 securing something in the grass. On paying still 

 closer attention to his manoauvres, although I 

 felt convinced that nothing but insects could 

 furnish such an uninterrupted succession of vic- 

 tims, I was still at a loss to discover the parti- 

 cular species to which he seemed so partial. I 



