FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 179 



cliff in a hole, and the face immediately below the hole was 

 perpendicular and afforded no foothold, leave alone the 

 possibility of erecting a suitable platform for a tent. The 

 setting and securing the tent and camera was a matter of 

 great difficulty, as one had to bear in mind that a sudden 

 descent of 30 feet backwards into the furze bushes below 

 might be fraught with serious consequences to oneself, and 

 would certainly have meant a heavy bill for camera repairs. 

 W.P.C. took charge and got settled about 10.45 after H hours 

 spent in erecting the tackle. 



11.22. The cock kestrel came and settled down to watch 

 the tent from a small projection of the cliff face. He was 

 decidedly inconspicuous on the brown cliff side, and, like all 

 birds of prey, seemed very suspicious. The young kept 

 fairly quiet. 



11.34. The female came to have a look at things, but was if 

 anything more timid than the male. 200 yards appeared 

 to be the limit as far as she was concerned. After a time she 

 sailed round the back of the tent to inspect it ; unfortunately 

 it was not stretched sufficiently tightly, so that it swayed a 

 good deal in the breeze. 



11.36. The male came back and kept watch from a distant 

 part of the cliff ; he looked just like a scar on the cliff. After 

 a time he seemed a little less shy, as he preened himself and 

 walked along the cliff face to a shady spot ; he scrambled 

 along much like a swallow clinging to a wall. 



11.50. The female joined the male and preened herself; 

 she, however, had some kind of prey in her talons, and was 

 apparently holding to the cliff face by one foot ; both birds 

 had shady positions. 



11.55. The male took wing and came across to the tent, 

 apparently to investigate it. 



11.57. The male came to the nest. I was much too excited 

 and full of admiration for his beauty to press the bulb. He 

 is evidently an old bird, and I could only see him when actually 

 at the entrance to the nest, but his barring was exceedingly 

 pronounced and clean cut, and his eyes were very handsome. 



