The Zoologist — September, 1871. 2741 



" ' In localities where a few isolated trees are left standing on mountain- 

 sides or plains to afford shelter from the midday sun to the flocks, the 

 kestrel also takes possession of the deserted nest of a crow, hawk, or other 

 bird, where it rears its progeny unmolested amidst the bleating of the 

 sheep and the barking of dogs, &c. In the foundation of these nests 

 occupied by kestrels the Spanish sparrow often builds, and rears its brood 

 in perfect security, undisturbed by the hawks. In this country the kestrel 

 feeds chiefly on beetles and locusts, but also on mice and small lizards : 

 they hover over and stoop to locusts and beetles as they do to mice. 



" ' In the autumn young birds of the year are often taken on limed twigs 

 by the bird-catchers, as they attack the birds caught on the twigs, and, 

 becoming entangled, are easily taken. The tail of the old female assumes, 

 I have observed, the colour of that of the male. They are given to resting 

 on telegraph-posts and wires, and as many as twenty-four have been counted 

 sitting a little apart from each other at one place. 



" ' In the autumn and winter they roost at night principally on the 

 ledges and crevices of rocks, and during the day may often be observed 

 sitting on mounds of earth, and detached pieces of rock which are scattered 

 about the country, on the look-out for beetles, &c. 



" ' With us in Turkey this species is more numerous than any of the 

 falcon tribe, and is constantly resident in the country.' 



" In Southern Eussia Professor von Nordmann states that it is very 

 common all over the country, as well in the towns and villages as on the 

 plains and steppes. It generally migrates on the approach of winter ; but 

 when the cold is not severe many remain. Eversmann observed it in 

 March in Bokhara. 



" How far to the eastward the range of the true Falco tinnunculus 

 extends we are unhappily in doubt, as in the case of so many of the 

 Western Palaearctic birds. On this point we can only give the evidence 

 verbatim of the Russian travellers. Pallas says that it is found throughout 

 the whole of Russia and Siberia, but appreciably diminishes in numbers 

 towards the eastern part of that country. From the middle of August, as 

 soon as the young are reared, they abound in the bare southern deserts, 

 and in Tauria even to the middle of September, when they fly southward. 

 In Astrachau they are looked upon as the heralds of autumn. 



" Dr. von Schrenck (Amur-Pieise, p. 233). writes as follows : — 



" ' Undoubtedly the kestrel is found at the head-springs of the Amoor 

 river, as also on the Lower Amoor. On the rocky shore of the Lower 

 Ussuri, near Dschoada, I saw on the 16th of August a bird which I consider 

 must have been a kestrel. This seems to show that the kestrel extends 

 further eastward in Siberia than Pallas supposed ; indeed it probably 

 occurs up to the east coast of the continent and the islands, as Siebold 

 found it in Japan.' 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. VI. 2 U 



