THE KESTREL. 279 



of colouring matter. The female Kestrel when laying 

 does not always deposit an egg each successive day 

 until the full complement is laid, for I have known her 

 be ten days laying six eggs. The female bird usually 

 incubates the eggs, but the male often sits upon them. 

 When the nest is approached the sitting bird silently 

 leaves it, but sometimes not before the nest is almost 

 reached, especially when the eggs are approaching 

 maturity. 



There are few more harmless birds than the Kestrel, 

 and his life is taken for imaginary offences, when the 

 real depredator is the Sparrowhawk. However harm- 

 less a bird may be, its innocence is not its shield if it 

 happens to resemble one of its congeners of confirmed 

 bad habits. One Hawk is noted for his proneness to 

 carry off young game and poultry, ergo the whole race 

 are as bad as he ; and thus the poor Kestrel is doomed to 

 destruction for no fault of his own, and simply because 

 but few will speak a word in his defence, or strive to 

 place him amongst our many friends that are clothed in 

 a garb of feathers. 



