HAWKING. 613 



There are other species of Falcons smaller than the preceding. 

 They are only distinguished from them by their size ; their habits 

 are identical, except that they prey on smaller birds, such as 

 Quails, Larks, Swallows, and sometimes insects. These species 

 are : the Hobby (Fig. 287), which is found all over Europe, 

 and also in Africa it is about a foot in height ; the Merlin (Fig. 

 288), which is not much larger than a Thrush, and in summer 



Fig. 289. Kestrel (Tinnunculus alaudarius). 



inhabits the North, and in winter the South, of Europe; the 

 Kestrel (Fig. 289), which owes its name to its sharp cry it is 

 thirteen inches in height, and is common in the centre of Europe ; 

 lastly, the Bengal Falcon (Terax ccerulescens), which is a native 

 of India and Java this is the smallest of all birds of prey. 

 Several other varieties of Falcon, which do not present any 

 remarkable peculiarity, are met with both in Africa and America, 



The name of Falcon is still associated with the sport of hawking 

 or falconry, of which we are about to speak. 



Falconry, the art of training or flying hawks to take other 

 birds, was formerly held in high esteem in the various countries 



