voles, field-mice, frogs, grasshoppers, beetles, and earth- 

 worms. 



Most of our Kestrels leave us towards the end of 

 October, and during really severe weather we seldom 

 see one ; but in mild winters a few remain after the 

 main body has passed to the south. In Northamp- 

 tonshire the country-people generally call this bird 

 " Sparrow-Hawk ; " but gamekeepers have good reason 

 to know the very obvious differences of habit and 

 appearance between the present species and the bird 

 that properly bears the latter designation. The Kestrel 

 will now and then take a young game-bird on the 

 ground ; but the good service done by this species in 

 the destruction of noxious animals, to say nothing of 

 the beauty of its flight, ought to ensure it from 

 slaughter in the supposed interests of sport. I know 

 that it is almost useless to protest against the perse- 

 cution of this, as any other species, by the emissaries of 

 bird-stuffers and plume-dealers, the only hope that one 

 may reasonably entertain in this connexion is for an 

 improvement in taste and sense of decency. 



The Kestrel is more or less common throughout 

 Europe, and is exceedingly abundant in Spain, where 

 it is to be found nesting in almost every church-tower 

 or ruin in town and country in company with its very 

 close congener — the Lesser or White-clawed Kestrel 

 (F. cenchis). I need hardly say that the present 

 species is useless for the purposes of falconry ; but it is 

 an interesting pet, and may be kept quite tame in 

 perfect liberty. 



