142 NATURE'S STORY OF THE YEAR 



admiring a lovely male kestrel-hawk kept in a 

 large aviary. He was in perfect plumage, and, 

 within the narrow limits available, flew delightfully. 

 He darted from the back of the room full speed at 

 the wire door, and, when within a foot or so of it, 

 by a marvellous turn of wing he turned back with- 

 out touching, and regained the perch. One instant 

 he seemed to be coming at full speed ; the next he 

 was back again, and the onlooker had a vision of 

 beautiful wings spread for a moment before him, 

 but gone instantly. 



" We have another, a female bird," said the 

 owner, " and we don't know what to do with her, 

 for if put with this one she might be killed." 



" You should see her fight ! " said one of the 

 sons of the house, adding : " We make her fight 

 with a broom." 



In a deep but narrow cage faced with wire a 

 bird was shrieking madly and clinging to the bars, 

 up and down which it ran in the manner of a 

 parrot. It had no long feather in wings or tail ; 

 all of them had been broken short off" by contact 

 with the bars. It had never flown. This was the 

 female kestrel ; and she became mine. 



