182 FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 



W.P.C. considers that it is only possible to 

 photograph the male in bright sun, with a focal 

 plane shutter, as his movements are so rapidly 

 executed. He also noted that the young spent 

 a lot of time ridding themselves of the " baby 

 down " by pulling it if off where they could 

 reach it, and scratching. They were very 

 voracious and greedy, and often nearly choked 

 themselves by trying to swallow the prey whole. 

 E.g., a young male tried to swallow the after 

 half of the field mouse whole three times, 

 each time being compelled to disgorge it and 

 finally to tear it up before eating it. 

 July 8 F.G.P. 



10 a.m. Got ready in the tent. 

 10.30 a.m. Heard old hawk call. Quaere, was 

 this a kestrel, as the young took no notice ? 

 (There was a pair of kestrels feeding young not 

 far away, so probably Dr. Penrose's quaere may 

 be answered in the affirmative. W.P.C.) 

 10.37 Young all began to " peep " for a short 

 time. To-day there are only three young in 

 the nest, I think two males and one female. 

 There were five a week ago. Later another 

 female hopped back into the nest from a branch 

 where I had not previously noticed it. 

 10.50. The old female just alighted on the far 

 side of the nest, and went off again directly. 

 The young called for a few seconds before she 

 came. 



11. Male came to the near side of the nest, 

 dropped a small bird and went off directly. 

 The prey was not plucked, but I could not 

 identify it. The most backward young one 

 immediately took it and began to pull it to 

 pieces. Apparently the female brings her prey 

 already plucked. This bears out what I saw 



