264% THE RUMPLESS FOWL. 
pounce upon the luckless mouse ; and now inspect- 
ing the deserted nests of crows and magpies, in 
order to secure a commodious retreat; wherein to 
perform their approaching incubation. Allowing, 
on an average, four young ones to the nest, there 
must have been bred here ninety-six windhover 
hawks last summer: add the parent birds, and we 
shall have, in all, one hundred and forty-four. 
Scarcely five of these birds were seen here from 
Michaelmas to the latter end of January. 
The periodical disappearance of the windhover 
from its breeding-place might give rise to much 
ornithological enquiry ; but I suspect that, when 
every circumstance shall have been duly weighed, 
we shall still be in the dark with regard to the true 
cause of its departure. The want of food cannot 
be supposed to force it away; for food the most 
congenial to its appetite is found here in great 
abundance at the very time when it deserts us. 
Neither can supposed inclemency of weather be 
alleged in support of its migration, as the temper- 
ature of England is remarkably mild long after the 
sun has descended into the southern hemisphere. 
THE RUMPLESS FOWL. 
Pauca meo gallo. Virgil. 
Some time ago, I introduced this bird to the readers 
of Mr. Loudon’s Magazine, in order to show them, 
that the feathers of birds are just as brilliant, and 
eee 
mer 
>on 
