HISTORY OF BRITISH BIRDS 73 



by month were generally admitted to be life-like. 

 Not a few of the original drawings were made by 

 the author's old and valued friend and schoolfellow, 

 Richard Alington, then, as already mentioned, rector 

 of Swinhope, in Lincolnshire. Of these, the atti 

 tudes of the Hobby, Kingfisher, Snow Bunting, 

 Sparrow, Robin, Ringed Dotterell, Heron, Ruff, 

 Snipe, Dunlin, and Moorhen were perhaps among 

 the most successful. 



None of Mr. Alington's sketches had more widely 

 different opinions expressed about it than that of 

 the Kestrel. It was a bold and clever attempt to 

 depict this hawk in an attitude peculiar to itself. 

 The bird was represented in the act, so familiar to 

 every ornithologist, of hovering over its prey, the 

 head of the bird being hidden by the extended 

 wings. In writing to the author in the winter of 

 1850, just after the publication of the part containing 

 the account of the Kestrel, Richard Alington said : - 

 " To those not accustomed to observe this species 

 the attitude will appear strange, and the remark 

 will be made, as, in fact, I have heard it, and the 

 same, indeed, as you made upon first seeing it, 

 ( Where is the head ? ' But any one who knows 

 the peculiarity of the Windhover's action when 

 looking for his prey must acknowledge that, though 

 in one of his most common, an attempt has been 

 made to depict him in one at least of his most 

 difficult gestures, and will therefore, I hope, take 

 the will for the deed." 



It may here be stated that the author was himself 



