18 BIRDS OF DAMAEA LAND. 



24. Thmunculus alaudarius (Gmel.). British Kestrel. 



Falco tinnunculus, Gould's Birds of Europe, pi. 26. 



Hartlaub's Orn. West- Africa's, No. 20. 



Tinnunculus alaudarius. Gray's Hand-list of Birds, No. 203. 

 Falco tinnunculus, Sharpe & Dresser's Birds of Europe, pi. 12. 



[The only South-African example of this Kestrel which has 

 come under my notice is a female killed at Objimbinque, Damara 

 Land, on 1st February, 1865, and comprised in Mr. Andersson's 

 last collection. This specimen, which is preserved in the Nor- 

 wich Museum, is of the ordinary European type. ED.] 



25. Tinnunculus rupicolus (Baud.). Lesser South-African 

 Kestrel. 



Le Montagnard, Levaillant's Ois. d'Afr. pi. 35. 



Tinmmculus rupicolus, Strickland & Sclater, Birds Dam., Cont. Orn. 



1852, p. 142. 

 Layard's Cat. No. 32. 



Next to Erythropus vespertinus, this is the commonest 

 species of Falcon in Damara and Great Namaqua Land ; 

 it is one of the few Hawks which remain in Damara 

 Land during the dry season ; bnt its numbers are then 

 lessened by a partial migration to more favoured regions. 

 These Kestrels perch on rocks and trees indiscriminately ; 

 but I have found that, when they have the choice of both, 

 they generally rest on the trees during the heat of the 

 day, but on the least approach of danger retreat to the 

 hills. They usually nest on rocks ; but I have found 

 exceptions to this rule. The nest is composed of sticks, 

 and lined internally with hair and feathers. They lay 

 from six to eight eggs, very similar to those of the 

 European Kestrel. 



This species feeds on mice, lizards, beetles, &c. There 

 does not seem to be any very marked difference in size 

 between the male and female. 



