146 THE KESTREL. 



and left standing, about seven feet in height; bushes 

 and boughs were then laid round this post and kept 

 loosely open, and hollow at the bottom, to the ex- 

 tent of ten or twelve yards round the post, for the 

 Partridges to run into when pursued by the Goshawk, 

 which they usually did after being disturbed two or 

 three times. The Goshawk, finding itself disappointed, 

 and unable to follow them with its long wings amongst 

 the bushes and briers, after flying round them for some 

 turns, was sure to perch upon the top of the post, as 

 the only resting-place at hand, and was there as sure 

 to be taken by a trap set there for the purpose. 



The beautiful, and at the same time, very common 

 little Hawk, called the Kestrel (F. tinnunculus), when in 

 search of its prey, may be seen hovering high in the 

 air in the same spot, with its head towards the wind. 

 It has been asserted by some naturalists that it lives 

 only upon insects and mice, and will not touch small 

 birds. This however is untrue; the Kestrel will not 

 only kill small birds, but others nearly as large as itself, 

 as the following fact will prove. One of them was 

 observed to seize a young Blackbird just able to fly, 

 which it was in the act of carrying off in its talons. 

 The old Blackbird gave chase with loud cries, and ap- 

 parent determination to rescue her young one, when the 

 Kestrel, having allowed her to approach unmolested, in 

 an instant dropped the young bird, and as instanta- 

 neously caught up the screaming parent, and carried her 

 clear away. The habit of hawking on the wing has 

 been further proved by its having been seen on summer 

 evenings, darting amongst a swarm of cockchafers, seiz- 

 ing one in each claw, and eating them on the wing, and 

 then again darting amongst them. 



That birds possibly may by their swifter flight often 

 escape, is not unlikely; but exclusive of the above in- 

 stances, bird-catchers know to their cost, while patiently 

 watching their nets, how often the Kestrel hovering 

 over the field, will pounce down and destroy their most 



