on the Birds of South- east em China. 197 



done by the Hobbies themselves. On another occasion a 

 Magpie had hatched off in a nest and it was then appro- 

 priated by a Mynah, which reared its young there, and 

 finally, on the latter's old cup the Hobby laid its eggs. 



The male bird usually sits up in a neighbouring tree and 

 keeps watch whilst the hen is sitting, and when the eggs are 

 taken both birds swoop round the tree squealing and 

 screaming ; when they have young they are even more 

 violent. They will follow for a mile or two, screaming, 

 after their eggs have been taken, 



Cerchneis tivnunculus. 



Kestrels occur commonly on the West River and on the 

 sea-coast of Kwang Tung from October to April, arriving 

 about the second week of the former, and leaving about the 

 end of the latter month. 



A few apparently remain inland to breed, and on April 29 

 Staff-Surgeon C. E. Cortis Stanford, R.N., took eggs from 

 a hole in a cliff on the North River. At Kwei Hsien in 

 Kwang Si a pair of these birds was seen on July 15, so 

 they probably breed in some of the rocks or caves there, 



Cerchneis amurensis. 



The Eastern Red-footed Falcon is seen every spring, both 

 in the Delta and on the lower reaches of the West River, but 

 it is not in evidence during the autumn. In some years 

 these birds are far more plentiful than in others. 



Pandion haliaetus. 



Ospreys are wdnter visitors to the Kwang Tung littoral, and 

 in some years are much more abundant than others. They 

 are frequently noticed soaring, either singly or in pairs, 

 round some hill-top, or sitting on a boulder ; but it is doubtful 

 if they ever pick up anything to eat on these occasions. 

 Buzzards and Kestrels have been seen to dash at them and 

 drive them away. 



The sea-shore, and especially the land-locked harbours of 

 the New Territory, has great attractions for them ; for 

 here there are many fishing stations, with their great q\iad- 

 rangular dipping nets, and their little fishcrmen^s huts built 

 of straw and perched on piles. 



p2 



