Class II. KESTREE. U^ 



inches: thebreadthtwo feet three inches r- The ' - 



cere and legs yellow : irides dark. Its colors 



at once distinguish it from all other hawks : the 



croAvn of the head, and the greater part of the 



tail, are of a fine light grey, the lower end of 



the latter is marked Avith a broad black bar : the 



inner webs of the three feathers next the two 



rniddle barred with black ; the tips wliite : the 



back and coverts of the wings are of a brick redj 



elegantly spotted with black : the interior sides 



of the quil feathers are dusky, deeply indented 



with white. The whole under side of the bird^ 



of a pale rust color, spotted with black; the 



thighs and vent only, plain. 



The female weighs eleven ounces : the color Female. 

 of the back and wings are far less bright than 

 those of the male : it differs too in the colors of - 

 the head and tail ; the former being of a pale 

 reddish brown, streaked with black ; the latter 

 of the same color, marked with numerous trans- 

 verse black bars : the breast is of a dirty yel- 

 dowish white ; and the middle of each feather 

 Jias an oblong dusky streak, pointing downwards. 



The kestrel breeds in the hollows of trees, in 

 the holes of hifj;h rocks, towers and ruined build- 

 ings: it lays four eggs, of the same color 

 with those of the Rinstail. Its food is field 

 mice, small birds and insects, which it will dis>- 

 icover at a great distance, lliis is the hawk 



