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REMARKABLE NIDIFICATION OF A KESTREL. 
C.J. PATTEN, M.A., M.D., Sc.D. 
On Sunday, June 11th last, a tame Kestrel, which I have had 
for eight years, appeared to be in a remarkably lively mood. 
When let out of her wire enclosure she indulged in her usual 
trick of pouncing on my shoe, and biting at the leather repeated- 
ly. When I shook her off, she followed me across the yard, and 
on presenting my gloved hand. she dashed at it, at ‘the same 
time dropping her wings like a curtain as though she were 
shielding her favourite mouse. Many other tricks which I 
have frequently found her indulging in were particularly well 
performed that morning. I was therefore exceedingly pleased 
Photos by) . [C. J. Patten 
A.—Specimen from a clutch of wild Kestrel’s eggs; the usual type. 
B.—Egg of Kestrel, laid after eight years of captivity, without pairing 
with a male bird. 
C.—Same egg as B, but viewed from above to show the broken 
pigmented zonular band. (All natural size). 
that after my absence from home for the greater part of the , 
preceding week I returned to find her so well and lively. 
However, in the afternoon, a remarkable change came over 
her. She retired toa corner, and assuming an almost horizontal 
position, so that her head, back, and tail were almost parallel 
with the ground; she became so apathetic that I suspected 
poisoning from some of the food (a young rat caught in a trap) 
she had lately taken. | Unable to rouse ‘her, I carried her into 
my study, where she again crept into a corner and behaved 
similarly. She eed in this condition until 6-30 p.m., 
at which time I left her alone. 
On my return at 10-30 p.m. she still appeared to be in the 
Naturalist, 
