PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 141 



2. Distribution. A common resident in the British Isles, and in some 

 districts where there is little game preservation very plentiful. In the north of 

 Scotland and the Shetlands it is only a summer resident, and is not common, and 

 the same applies to a lesser extent to the north of Ireland. It does not breed in 

 the Faeroes or Iceland, but on the Continent ranges to about lat. 68 in Scandinavia 

 and Finland, but only becomes common farther south. In North Russia it is only 

 accidental at Archangel and is absent from the Mezen and Petschora basins, ranging 

 to 61 60 on the upper Kama. From these limits it is found generally throughout 

 Europe to the Mediterranean and North Africa, but is replaced by sub-specific 

 forms in Madeira, the Canaries, and Cape Verde Islands, as well as North-east and 

 East Africa. In Asia its range extends from the eastern shores of the Mediterranean 

 to Eastern Siberia, but is replaced by allied forms in the Eastern Archipelago, and 

 during the winter Asiatic birds migrate south to the shores of the Indian 

 Ocean. [F. c. R. J.] 



3. Migration. A resident, and a bird-of-passage from the Continent. 

 Although the species is widespread over our area throughout the year, many of 

 the birds leave the northern parts of Great Britain and part of Leinster and Ulster 

 on the approach of winter ; there is no evidence as to whether any of them leave 

 the British Isles. The autumn immigrants appear on the east coast of Great 

 Britain (apart from exceptional records as early as 9th August) between 25th 

 August and 12th November, but mainly in September; the majority of them, at 

 least, pass on to more southern countries. The season of the return passage is 

 from 16th March to 18th May. Like all the Falconidse, the kestrel is a diurnal 

 migrant for the most part, but Mr. Eagle Clarke saw an adult male continually 

 flying about in the rays of the Kentish Knock Lightship lantern between 8 P.M. 

 and 1.30 A.M. on a September night; it travels either singly, or in couples or 

 small groups. (Cf. Clarke, Studies in Bird Migration, 1912, vol. i. pp. 135, 159, 

 vol. ii. p. 37 ; Ussher and Warren, B. of Ireland, 1900, p. 146 ; Nelson, B. of 

 Yorks., 1907, p. 37 ; Ticehurst, B. of Kent, 1909, p. 295 ; etc.). [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. The nesting-sites of this species are rather variable. 

 Where cliffs, quarries and high rocks are available the eggs are generally laid in a 

 hollow on a ledge. (PI. LXTV.) Ruinous buildings, church towers, and old mills are 

 also sometimes occupied, and in wooded districts the nests of some other bird, such as 

 magpie, crow, or rook, and old squirrel's dreys are appropriated. Occasionally the 

 eggs may be found in hollows of trees, and in Wicken Fen they have been known 

 to breed on the ground among sedge, while nesting-boxes in trees are sometimes 



