AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 23 



and make the most of our opportunities of observing 

 them, the more we shall learn to believe that we can- 

 not improve upon the " balance of power," if I may 

 may be allowed the expression, laid down by Nature, 

 and the advantages to be gained by this sort of study 

 are too many and too obvious to the most ordinary 

 intelligence to need further exposition by me. 



7. KESTREL 



Falco tinnunculus. 



The Kestrel is by far our most common species of 

 diurnal birds of prey, and is so well known that it is 

 unlikely that I shall be able to add anything new to 

 the abundant records as to its habits and life-history. 

 In this neighbourhood hardly a day passes during the 

 spring and summer months that one or more of this 

 species may not be observed hovering in the air over 

 our fields and meadows, and occasionally darting 

 down to the ground upon a' mouse, grasshopper, or 

 other such " small deer." The food, indeed, of the 

 Kestrel is very varied, and to my knowledge it will 

 take moles, mice, small birds, frogs, lizards, grass- 

 hoppers, beetles of many species, on wing and on the 

 ground, and earthworms. I once, and once only, saw 

 a Kestrel pursue any bird larger than a Sparrow or 

 Greenfinch, viz. a Missel-Thrush ; but though the 

 Hawk in this instance seemed to " mean business," 

 the Thrush held her very cheap, and sat chattering 

 in a tree about which the Kestrel made many, appa- 

 rently vicious, stoops. I think that in this county 

 the Kestrel is generally known as Sparrow-Hawk and 

 the Sparrow-Hawk as Blue Hawk, but I have also 



