KESTREL. 67 



rally, to Spain and Italy. Numbers of those bred in 

 Europe are said to pass over in autumn to the north of 

 Africa. It is found in Corfu, and was seen by W. Thomp- 

 son, Esq., about forty-five miles from Zante ; it is found 

 also in Sicily and Malta. Mr. Strickland observed it at 

 Smyrna in winter ; and it has been found at Trebizond 

 and at Erzeroum. In North Africa it has been taken at 

 Tangiers and Algiers; it has been found in Egypt and 

 Nubia. It inhabits Central Africa, according to M. Tem- 

 minck; and the Zoological Society have received speci- 

 mens from the Cape of Good Hope, which were sent by 

 Captain Spiller. 



The range of the Kestrel in the East is also very ex- 

 tensive. Mr. Selby mentions having received specimens 

 from India, and I have seen others from the banks of the 

 Ganges. Colonel Sykes includes it among the birds of the 

 Dukhun. Figures of it occur in drawings from China ; it 

 is known to inhabit Japan ; and Dr. Horsfield includes it 

 in his catalogue of the birds of Java. 



The whole length of the Kestrel is from thirteen to fif- 

 teen inches, depending on the sex. The male, the upper 

 figure in the illustration, has the beak blue, pale towards 

 the base ; the cere and orbits or eyelids yellow, the irides 

 dark brown ; the top of the head, the cheeks, and nape 

 of the neck, ash grey, with dusky longitudinal streaks ; 

 the back, tertials, and wing-coverts, reddish fawn colour, 

 with small black triangular spots dispersed over them, one 

 occupying the point of each feather ; the primaries and 

 secondaries blackish grey, with lighter-coloured edges ; the 

 tail-feathers ash grey, with a broad black band near the 

 end, each feather tipped with white ; the breast and belly 

 pale rufous fawn colour, with dark longitudinal streaks on 

 the former, and dark spots on the latter ; the thighs and 

 under tail-coverts rufous fawn colour, without spots ; under 



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