118 



" In localities where a few isolated trees are left standing on mountain-sides or plains to 

 afford shelter from the midday sun to the flocks, the Kestrel also takes possession of the deserted 

 nest of a Crow, Hawk, or other bird, where it rears its progeny unmolested amidst the bleating 

 of the sheep and the barking of dogs &c. In the foundation of these nests occupied by Kestrels 

 the Spanish Sparrow often builds, and rears its brood in perfect security, undisturbed by the 

 Hawks. In this country the Kestrel feeds chiefly on beetles and locusts, but also on mice and 

 small lizards ; they hover over and stoop to locusts and beetles as they do to mice. 



" In the autumn young birds of the year are often taken on limed twigs by the bird-catchers, 

 as they attack the birds caught on the twigs, and, becoming entangled, are easily taken. The tail 

 of the old female assumes, I have observed, the colour of that of the male. They are given to 

 resting on telegraph-posts and wires, and as many as twenty-four have been counted sitting a 

 little apart from each other at one place. 



" In the autumn and winter they roost at night principally on the ledges and crevices of 

 rocks, and during the day may often be observed sitting on mounds of earth, and detached pieces 

 of rock which are scattered about the country, on the look-out for beetles &c. 



" With us in Turkey this species is more numerous than any of the Falcon tribe, and is con- 

 stantly resident in the country." 



In Southern Russia Professor von Nordmann states that it is very common all over the 

 country, as well in the towns and villages as on the plains and steppes. It generally migrates 

 on the approach of winter ; but when the cold is not severe, many remain. Eversmann observed 

 it in March in Bokhara. 



How far to the eastward the range of the true Falco tinnunculus extends we are unhappily 

 in doubt, as in the case of so many of the Western Palsearctic birds. On this point we can only 

 give the evidence verbatim of the Russian travellers. Pallas says that it is found throughout the 

 whole of Russia and Siberia, but appreciably diminishing in numbers towards the eastern part of 

 the latter country. From the middle of August, as soon as the young are reared, they abound 

 in the bare southern deserts, and in Tauria even to the middle of September, when they fly 

 southward. In Astrachan they are looked upon as the heralds of autumn. 

 Dr. von Schrenck (Amur-Eeise, p. 233) writes as follows : — 



" Undoubtedly the Kestrel is found at the head-springs of the Amoor river, as also on the 

 Lower Amoor. On the rocky shore of the Lower Ussuri, near Dschoada, I saw on the 16th of 

 August a bird which I consider must have been a Kestrel. This seems to show that the Kestrel 

 extends further eastward in Siberia than Pallas supposed ; indeed it probably occurs up to the 

 east coast of the continent and the islands, as Siebold found it in Japan." 

 Dr. G. Radde has more recently recorded the following notes : — 



" The Kestrel is much rarer in East Siberia than the other small Hawks, but has been found 

 there by the later travellers. On my journey to East Siberia I found it common as far as Omsk, 

 but eastward of that only occasional. During the migration I saw them in the Selenga valley, 

 near the Gusinoi Lake, early in September, and late in March near the Onon, between Sasutsche 

 and the new fortress of Tschindantsk, and in July 1859 in the high mountains as I passed from 

 the Oka to the Irkut, and had to pass over heights above the tree-region (7000 ft.). I did not see 



