THE KESTKIL. 25 



young, yet an occasional trespass of this kind far from 

 counterbalances the advantages it confers as a consistent 

 destroyer of vermin. 



The Kestril appears to be generally distributed over the 

 country, showing no marked predilection for upland or 

 lowland, heath or marsh. It is very frequently seen near 

 the sea-coast, to which in winter it habitually resorts, 

 finding there, no doubt, greater facilities for obtaining 

 food. Like others of its tribe, it possesses little archi- 

 tectural skill, placing its nest in a hole in a cliff, in ruins, 

 or on lofty trees, often appropriating the deserted dwelling 

 of some more industrious builder than itself. On the 

 Continent it resorts to buildings in towns and cities, as, 

 for instance, the Louvre in Paris, and the towers of cathe- 

 drals. During summer it hawks principally in the gar- 

 dens and orchards near the town, and when harvest is 

 gathered in, repairs to the corn-field^ to hunt for mice 

 among the stubble. When taken young from the nest, 

 it* is easily tamed, and becomes one of the most amusing 

 of pets. Even after being fully fledged and allowed its 

 liberty, it will remain in the neighbourhood of the place- 

 where it was reared, coming regularly to be fed, and 

 recognising the presence of its master by repeating its 

 wild note, Hee, Idee, Idee, and flying to meet him.* An 

 anecdote is recorded in the " Zoologist " of a male Kestril 

 having, in the second year of his domestication, induced a 

 female bird to join him in his half-civilized life, and to 

 assist him in rearing a joint family. "Billy" still continued 

 to make himself quite at home at the house where he was 

 brought .up, coming fearlessly into the nursery and making 

 friends with the children; but his mate never threw off 

 her wild nature so far as to do this : contenting herself 

 with waiting outside, and asserting her right to her fair 

 share of whatever food he brought out. Tame Kestrils 



* See " Pet Animals," published by the Society for Promoting 

 Christian Knowledge. 



