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where they make their nests in the crevices of the rocks, and also at the tops of the large oaks 

 and firs. In the Pyrenees it is also said to nest in trees ; and, as stated below, Mr. Collett has 

 found it in Norway nesting in trees. In Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia it occurs during passage, 

 and also winters there, but, so far as I can ascertain, it does not appear ever to remain to breed. 

 Schembri and Mr. C. A. Wright speak of it as being not uncommon at Malta during passage ; 

 but Captain Feilden tells me that he has only obtained two examples during the twelve months 

 he has resided there. Lord Lilford says (Ibis, 1860, p. 7) that it is frequently met with in 

 Epirus during winter, and adds that all he saw, either dead or alive, were in adult plumage. 



It is stated by both Lindermayer and Von der Mlihle to be common in Greece, in fact quite 

 as much so as the Hobby. Erhardt, however, did not meet with it in the Cyclades. In Southern 

 Germany it is much rarer than the Kestrel, and chiefly met with during the autumn passage. 

 Curiously enough, contrary to the experience of Lord Lilford in Greece, Dr. A. Fritsch says 

 (J. f. O. 1871, p. 180) that he has very rarely met with adult birds in Bohemia. According to 

 Gloger it breeds in the Biesengebirge. In the Danubian principalities it occurs as in Turkey 

 and Greece, during migration or in the winter, but does not appear to remain to breed. 

 Professor Von Nordmann also states that it is common in Southern Russia during the two 

 seasons of passage, leaving for only a very short time in midwinter ; but he does not think that 

 it breeds in the steppes. Eversmann, however, says (J. f. O. 1853, p. 62) that it inhabits the 

 steppes during the summer, leaving in the autumn. Strickland obtained it in Asia Minor, near 

 Smyrna, in the winter season; and Canon Tristram records it (Ibis, 1865, p. 258) as being not 

 uncommon in Palestine during winter, where he frequently saw it both on the coast and in the 

 central plains. He saw the last at Bashan on the 11th March. It occurs in Africa; and is, 

 according to Captain Shelley, extremely abundant in Egypt in spring, but rarely passes as far 

 south as Nubia. Mr. E. C. Taylor and Captain Shelley both remark on the great preponderance 

 of males as compared with females ; and the latter adds that, though he has seen as many as 

 thirty in a day, he never met with a single female. Von Heuglin writes (Orn. N.O.-Afr. p. 35), 

 "it straggles to Africa in winter and spring, the larger number being young birds. We shot 

 an old male on the 20th April at Cairo. Brehm met with a small party of about ten individuals 

 on the 14th March, 1852. Dr. Hartmann states that it is common in the Acacia-wildemess, 



between Der and Wadi Sebua, in Northern Nubia ; but I have never seen one so far south 



In Leyden there is a specimen said to be from Sennaar." Dr. A. E. Brehm obtained one near 

 Chartoum in February. It likewise occurs in North-west Africa in the spring and autumn ; 

 and Loche says that it has been seen in the breeding-season in Kabylia and near Boghar. 

 Mr. Taczanowski, in his notes on the avifauna of Algeria, says that he saw an adult male about 

 the middle of December. 



To the eastward it occurs as far as China ; but I do not find it recorded from Japan. It has 

 been met with at Erzeroum ; but Messrs. Blanford and St. John did not meet with it in Persia, 

 though it doubtless occurs there. Dr. Jerdon speaks of it as being a rare visitant to the extreme 

 north-west frontier of India during the cold season, and says that Dr. Leith Adams observed it 

 in the north-west of the Punjab. According to Mr. A. O. Hume (Stray Feathers, i. p. 157) it 

 is a mere cold-weather straggler into Sindh, and rare there. He only once saw it, but was 

 informed by Captain Maiden that he had shot it near Kotree ; and Mr. James had also procured 



