THE KESTRIL. 55 



hoppers. "When confined, it is to be fed on birds, mice, and a 

 little fresh meat. If fed with fresh bird's flesh, or sheep's liver 

 and lights, it becomes quite tame, and even if caught when 

 old, does not seem to desire its liberty. 



Breeding. The Kestril's nest is to be found in crevices of 

 rocks, high towers, mountain castles, and lofty decayed trees. 

 The eggs, yellowish red, with red and brown spots, are gene- 

 rally five or six in number. At first the young are covered 

 only with white down, and may easily be reared on chopped 

 meat ; they soon perch on the hand, learn to know their feeder, 

 and follow him whenever he calls. 



Mode of Capture. The old birds may be caught on the nest 

 at the time of feeding the young, with strong limed twigs. 

 Another mode is by placing what is called a Hawk-basket, hav- 

 ing in it a Lark, or a mouse in a lure, in some spot which the 

 birds frequent ; this trap is elevated on four stakes, and 

 resembles in appearance a common meat safe ; four upright 

 posts are set up in the ground at such a distance, as to resem- 

 ble the legs of a moderately large table ; they are concealed 

 near the ground by a board, and at the sides by a net ; at the 

 top, on two sides, run iron rods, on which is fastened, by means 

 of rings, a net to cover the whole ; in the middle is placed a 

 treddle, connected with a piece of wood, to which is attached 

 a heavy weight. The Kestril sees the lure, flies into the bas- 

 ket, throws down the treddle, the weight falls, and draws the 

 net over him, and he is caught. 



Attractive Qualities. This bird is rendered agreeable not only 

 by its plumage and his engaging habits, but also by its ringing 

 cry, kli, Hi, Mi, which it repeats in quick succession. If 

 many, however, are together, the cry becomes wearisome. The 

 Kestril, like other birds of the same species, may be trained 

 to the chase, and, as before said, may, when reared from the 

 nest, be accustomed to considerable liberty, even when kept 

 in a large town. Care however, must be taken in September 

 and October, when these birds migrate, not to let the captive be 

 in the open air all day, lest it be enticed away by its comrades. 



ADDITIONAL.- Of this, which is one of the most common, as 

 well as the most beautiful species of the British Falconince, many 

 interesting particulars are furnished by MUDIE, MACGILLIVBAY, 

 YAEEELL, and other naturalists, who have had better opportu- 

 nities of observing its habits and characteristics than BECHSTEIN 



