BIRD-LIFE OF THE SPANISH SPRING-TIME. 



265 



The large eagles prey on game all the year round ; the 

 smaller species chiefly on reptiles and small birds, secondarily 

 on game. In winter the latter depart to Africa. 



Falcons. — The smaller species are chiefly insectivorous — the 

 Lesser Kestrel and Eleanora Falcon exclusively so. The Com- 

 mon Kestrel and Hobby also take small lizards and snakes. 

 From the crop of one of the large and powerful Falcons (Falco 

 pimicus) which, when shot, was in the act of pursuing a Hare, 

 we have taken nearly a score of Blindworms. 



It is corroborative of the predominance of reptiles and 

 insects in their diet, that so many of the raptores leave Spain 

 almost entirely in winter. Both the Booted and Serpent- 

 Eagles, Black Kite, Montagu's Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, and 

 others, migrate at that season to Africa. 



BLACK STORK. 



