FALCONS. 191 



Moorish temples of Granada. In Greece and Spain it nests late in April or early in 

 May, selecting either buildings, rocks, or hollow trees for its breeding-place, and 

 being often found in company with the ordinary kestrel. In Malta it may be 

 seen in flocks, where, according to Leith- Adams, its prey is chiefly small birds. 

 Lei th- Adams says that both kinds of kestrel were held in high veneration by 

 the ancient Egyptians ; their function being supposed to be to investigate, in con- 

 junction with Anubis, the actions of the soul. Their destruction involved the 

 penalty of death ; and " no trouble was spared in preserving them, so that, besides 

 the sacred birds in captivity, it was customary to place food in the way of wild 

 individuals. The kestrel, therefore, must have enjoyed unbounded freedom and 

 protection ; and it is a remarkable circumstance nowadays, that, being one of the 

 most common rapacious birds of Egypt, it is far more familiar than any of the others, 

 allowing man to approach it within a few yards." 



As there are pigmy parrots and pigmy owls, so there exist 

 ' diminutive representatives of the falcons, which, although not larger 

 than larks, are as bold and dauntless as their larger relatives. These pigmy falcons 

 range from the Eastern Himalaya, through Tenasserim and Burma to the Malayan 

 Islands, and thence to the Philippines, and are also represented by an outlying 

 species in the Nicobar Islands ; and since they differ from the true falcons by 

 their oval nostrils, which have neither a central tubercle, nor an overhanging flap 

 of skin, they are referred to a distinct genus. The beak is short, with a sharp 

 tooth, and a notch on each side, often described as a double tooth. The wings are 

 short, and the tail is of no great length ; while the third toe is not much longer 

 than the others. 



The black-legged falconet (Hierax fringillarius) represented in our illustra- 

 tion inhabits Tenasserim, the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, and Borneo ; and 

 measures 61 inches in length. The upper-parts, together with the quills and tail- 

 feathers, are deep bluish black, with the inner webs of the two latter barred with 

 white. The forehead, together with a stripe running from the eye down the side 

 of the neck, and likewise the front of the cheek, the throat, and breast are white, 

 while the abdomen is tinged with rufous. The lores and the space behind the 

 eye, as well as the sides of the body and the outer aspects of the thighs, are glossy 

 black. The bill and feet are dark ; although in young birds the former is yellow 

 at the base. The white-legged falconet (H. melanoleucas) of Cachar and Assam, 

 differs by its white abdomen and thighs ; while the Philippine falconet (H. erythro- 

 yenys) is distinguished from the latter by its black thighs. The smallest of all is 

 the red-legged falconet {H. ccerulescens), which measures only 5 J inches, and ranges 

 from Nipal and Sikhim, through Tenasserim and Burma, to Cambodia. It is dis- 

 tinguished from all the others by its white legs, and derives its name from its rufous 

 thighs. All the falconets are quick and active in their movements, making their 

 way with a rapid and direct flight, during which the wings are constantly flapped. 

 They are generally to be seen hawking insects with swallow-like speed, and when 

 tired are said invariably to select a dead branch upon which to rest. Their chief 

 food appears to consist of dragon-flies, beetles, and butterflies ; although they un- 

 doubtedly at times attack and kill birds, which may exceed themselves in size. 

 Davison writes that he has seen a black - legged falconet swoop at a rock- 



