WHEN MARCH WINDS BLOW. 125 



is gone. The visit is sure to be repeated, and 

 the second one generally proves fatal to the kestrel, 

 unless some one requires him of the bird-catcher 

 for a pet. He makes a very nice one, if you know 

 how to treat him. As this domain is surrounded 

 on all sides, independently of its own covers, and 

 the woods are principally fir, sparrow-hawks are 

 in force here, not through being neglected or over- 

 looked by the keepers, certainly far from it; but 

 the huge rabbit-warren, with its countless rabbits 

 ranging from all sizes, suits the taste of the spar- 

 row-hawk exactly. The warren is open ground, 

 so the hawks can see who is about. The rabbits 

 do not form their bill of fare exclusively the 

 young and the half-grown rabbits I mean, of course. 

 But small heaps of feathers here and there, close 

 to the wood-side, under some brush-growth, tell 

 plainly that thrushes, blackbirds, and finches have 

 all had to contribute to the hawk's bill of fare. 

 The feathers of the redwing I have seen at times; 

 but the whole skeleton of that bird has been there 

 as well, proving that it had died through hard 

 times in the severe winter, and not from the 

 pounce of a bird of prey. As for the fieldfares, 



