OF XOETHUMBEllLAlSrD AJfD DTTEHAM. 15 



This beautiful little Palcon is rapidly clisappeariug, by the 

 hand of the gamekeeper, from the north of England, and will, 

 I fear, soon cease to give interest to our moorland rambles. 



14. Kesteel oe "Westohovee. F. TiJsrNrsrcirLirs, Linnaus. 

 Falco tinnunculus, Bew., Hist. Brit. Bii'ds, Ed. 1847, 1., 18, 20. 



YarreU, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 4, I., 78. 



This is a resident, and the commonest Ealcon in the north of 

 England. It is usually seen suspended as it were in the air, with 

 the wings in gentle motion. Erom this habit it has obtained the 

 pretty descriptive name of Windhoyer. 



I have more than once trained the Kestrel to come to the liu-e 

 garnished with pieces of flesh, on which it had been taught to 

 feed ; but I could never tempt it to fly at small birds, though I 

 have frequently tried to do so by thi'owing them under it when 

 it was on the wing : it never took the slightest notice of them, 

 but kept hovering gracefully, changing constantly its position 

 as if seeking for its natiu'al prey — beetles and mice. 1 see no 

 reason for believing that it ever takes fledged birds, though it 

 may occasionally harry a nest of newly hatched ones. I have 

 examined gi'eat numbers of the rejected pellets of this bird, and 

 have constantly found in them the elytra of coleopterous insects, 

 and the bones of mice and voles ; but never feathers or other re- 

 mains of birds. Notwithstanding the inoffensive and useful habits 

 of this interesting species, it is still very generally slaughtered 

 by the gamekeeper, though in some localities its value is gra- 

 dually becoming acknowledged. 



10. ASTUE, Lucepkle. 



15. Goshawk. A. PALUMBAEitrs, [LinncBus.) 



Falco paluniba/rius, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, I. 31. 

 Astm ,, YarreU, Hist. Brit. Bii^ds, Ed. 4, I. 83. 



This is a rare casual visitant, and is not included in Selby's 

 catalogue. 



