The Avifauna. 107 



The Kestrel is by far the most common hawk 

 we have in Scotland, and is often seen at Craigmillar. 

 It is regarded as a friend by the agriculturist, as the 

 number of mice it destroys is scarcely credible. At 

 present we have three kestrels as pets, and unless 

 .compelled by hunger, they will not eat any birds. If 

 a number of dead mice and sparrows are put down to 

 them, the former are all devoured, and a day intervenes 

 before they will touch the latter. On dissecting a 

 kestrel, we discovered four mice and a number of 

 beetles in its crop and gizzard. It is right to mention, 

 however, that when they have to provide for their 

 hungry nestlings, young grouse, partridges, pheasants, 

 and other birds are frequently killed by them. 



The Lark is plentiful in this district, though large 

 numbers are captured annually by bird-catchers from 

 Edinburgh. An amount of gross Sabbath desecration 

 is continually perpetrated by bands of profligate 

 "roughs" from the city thus plying their merciless 

 work. During a recent winter, when the ground for 

 weeks was covered with snow, most birds, but especi- 

 ally larks, were on the point of starvation, and were 



