The Zoologist — September, 1871. 2743 



" Following the line of migration in a south-westerly direction, we find 

 that the kestrel was obtained in Mesopotamia by Commander Jones, and at 

 Trebizond by Mr. Keith Abbott. The late Mr. Strickland has recorded it 

 as rare near Smyrna. Mr. Gurney has received iifrom Beyrout, in Syria. 

 In Palestine it appears to be sedentary ; but the line of migration must 

 sometimes, if not always, traverse this country. The following are Dr. 

 Tristram's observations on the bird as observed by him in the latter 

 country : — 



" ' The kestrel is excessively common in every part of the country 

 throughout the year, up to the confines of the southern desert. In the 

 Ghor, and in the eastern foi'ests among the ruins of Amman and Gerash, in 

 the desolate gorges of the Dead Sea, among the luxuriant gardens of the 

 coast, and in the sacred recesses of the mosques of Omar and Hebron it 

 equally abounds. It is geYierally gi'egarious, ten or twenty pairs breeding 

 in the same ruins, and rearing their young about the end of March. It 

 often builds its nest in the recesses of the caves which are occupied by the 

 griffons, and is the only bird which the eagles appear to permit to live in 

 close proximity to them. At Amman, too, it builds in the ruins in company 

 with the jackdaws ; and in several places, as at Lydda and Nazareth, large 

 colonies are mixed indiscriminately with those of the following species 

 (Tinnunculus cenchris). The number of nests we came across, without 

 searching for them, was enormous.' 



" With regard to its occurrence in North-eastern Africa, Captain Shelley 

 considers it to be ' by far the most abundant hawk in Egypt. On one 

 occasion,' he adds, ' we saw at least a hundred in a single group of palm- 

 trees, attracted there, no doubt, by the locusts which were passing in dense 

 continuous clouds beneath them. These flights of locusts spread this year 

 (1870) throughout the country, clearing whole districts of every green crop 

 as they passed.' 



" The following notes have been published by Dr. von Heugliu : — 



" ' In the northern portion of this country the kestrel is sedentary, and 

 breeds in spring (between March and May) in ruins and rocks. In 

 September and October they increase considerably in numbers through the 

 advent of migrants, which spread over Arabia, Nubia, Abyssinia, and 

 Eastern Sudan, and return early in the end of the winter. In Africa they 

 feed chiefly on grasshoppers, which in autumn and winter swarm all over 

 the place ; and then the kestrels may be seen singly, or in flocks, often, 

 indeed, in large companies, hovering on the steppes. They also collect 

 round the steppe-fires, where Orthoptera, scared up by the flames, become 

 an easy prey to birds of prey, bee-eaters, rollers, storks, &c. 



" ' The kestrel which is sedentary in North-eastern Africa, is generally 

 brighter-coloured than the European bird, and has larger and blacker 

 spots on the back, breast, and belly. The female has the head 



