THE KESTREL. 103 



at all, destructive of game, unless when they are in a very 

 young state, so that its manners do not so much expose it to 

 persecution, except that general persecution which it receives 

 on account of being a hawk. 



The kestrel is of the same weight as the hobby, and has 

 the same extent of wing, but it is two inches longer, and 

 altogether a more slender bird, and weaker in the beak and 

 the talons. The female, which is the finer and larger bird, 

 is reddish brown on the whole of the upper part, with arrow- 

 head, dusky spots on the head, back, and wing-coverts, and 

 dusky bars on the tail, the last one broad, and the tips of the 

 feathers margined with cream colour. The quills, which 

 are twenty-two in number, are dusky, relieved by white 

 margins. The under part is reddish cream-colour with in- 

 distinct dusky lines. The male, after the first year, during 

 which it very much resembles the female, has the head and 

 tail grey, the back brighter red and with fewer spots, and 

 the under part redder, and the spots more distinct. It also 

 has the feathers on the chin more produced, and a black 

 stripe proceeding from the gape, which gives the light grey 

 above the eye the appearance of an eye-brow. 



The eye of the kestrel is peculiarly brilliant; the irides are 

 rich brown, which contrasts well with the dark stripe and 

 the pale feathers at the base of the bill and over the eye. 

 The bill is very short, and the notch nearly obliterated, and 

 there are two rows of small teeth pointing downwards upon 

 the palate, not unlike those with which the tongues of the 

 beasts of prey are beset. The whole structure of the bird 

 indicates that it is less adapted for pursuing winged game, 

 pulling feathers, and tearing flesh, than the other long-winged 

 hawks, and its habits correspond with these differences of 

 structure. 



Popular names are often much more expressive of the 

 habits of animals than those which have been adopted for 



