174 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xiv. 



perhaps a change of direction, and then another hover. In 

 fact, the behaviour is very similar to that of the Common 

 Kestrel. 



Small grass fires are extremely common in the summer in 

 Macedonia, and columns of smoke can often be seen curling 

 upwards from maiiy parts of the country at once. As soon 

 as the tiniest wisp of smoke wreathes up from the hillside 

 the Kestrels begin to arrive, and the aggregate of the small 

 flocks that unite on these occasions often totals more than a 

 hundred birds. The birds show great activity in pouncing 

 on the scattering grasshoppers and other victims of the fire. 

 In the autumn flocks composed of young birds of the year 

 are common. 



A number of nestlings examined in June were very uniform 

 in their appearance. The beak and lieshy angle of the gape 

 were flesh coloured. All the bare skin on the head — and 

 there was a good deal of it — was of the palest green, the legs, 

 toes and claws were yellow and quite as bright as in the adult. 



A friend of mine took a pair of nestlings from the nest and 

 reared them. These youngsters spent most of their time 

 asleep, keeping one eye open and the other shut. Their 

 clamouring for food was incessant, but they were always 

 satisfied by pushing pieces of army " bully-beef " down their 

 throats. These two birds became very attached to the man 

 who fed them, and even when they were fully fledged and 

 capable of fending for themselves, they could always be found 

 — when hungry — sitting on the top of their owner's bivouac. 

 They were allowed complete liberty, and would make long 

 flights over the surrounding hills, being absent for several 

 hours. On their return they would not infrequently settle 

 on the head or shoulders of their owner, who could also induce 

 them to do this by means of low whistles. One day they 

 made a long fhght only returning to our camp in the evening 

 to roost. The next day they flew off and never returned. 



A female accidentall}^ captured when it had eggs was one 

 of the most untractable and ferocious birds I have ever 

 handled, but a pair of adult birds taken earlier in the spring 

 lived quite contentedly in captivity with a Little Owl. 



