13G BRITISH BIRDS. 



much incubated. The old Rooks did not appear to trouble the young Hawks ; 

 nor did the old Hawks molest the young Rooks. 



Thursday, May 12, 1859, I found another Kestrel's nest, in a deep hole 

 of a pollard elm, with five eggs ; there was a nest of young Starlings just 

 below. 



Though on Lincoln Cathedral the above happy family exists, yet the fact 

 that there are very few Bats would seem to indicate that they do not like 

 the vicinity. This year (1875) three Sparrow-Hawks were observed 

 departing from the large tower ; they would not be so amicable if they 

 established themselves on the cathedral. 



Mr. Thompson (' Birds of Ireland,' p. 55) speaks of the tower of Bally- 

 lesson church, Belfast, as a residence of the Kestrel. In Stevenson's ' Birds 

 of Norfolk' (vol. i. p. 10 J the spire of Norwich Cathedral is mentioned, on 

 the authority of Hunt's ' British Ornithology,' vol. ii. p. 9) now becoming 

 a scarce book), as an abode of the Peregrine Falcon. Mr. Stevenson states, 

 quoting the same author (vol. i. p. 63), " A Mr. Kittle, of this city, particu- 

 larly noticed a bird of this species, which arrived at the Cathedral by the 

 middle of September and left it about the first week in March, and continued 

 to do so for eight successive years. He also remarked that it was generally 

 to be seen near the top of the spire, and invariably on that side which by 

 sailors is called the leeward, from whence it used to fly at Pigeons and other 

 birds." Mr. Lubbock says, " a pair of these birds used to breed in the steeple 

 of Corton Church, the clerk having a regular fee for their preservation." 

 Dean Stanley, in ' Memorials of Westminster Abbey,' p. 688, quotes Sir John 

 Sebright on Hawking (1826), thus : — " Peregrine Falcons take up their abode 

 from October or November until the spring upon Westminster Abbey : this 

 is well known to the London Pigeon- fanciers, from the great havoc they make 

 in their flights." Again : — " In the south-western tower, piles of skeletons 

 of Pigeons killed by Hawks were found." Mr. Harting (' Birds of Middle- 

 sex,' p. 3) says, " A pair of these birds [Peregrines] for many years fre- 

 quented the top of St. Paul's, where it was supposed they had a nest." At 



