THE KESTREL 29 
the score of size, it is not easy to distinguish it 
from the Lesser Kestrel. 
There are two Kestrels in Egypt: the one we 
have already described, and the Lesser Kestrel, 
which is like a small edition of the former, with 
the exception that his back and wings of bright 
red-brown are without spots, and the breast is only 
marked with small black spots, while the claws are 
yellowish white. Its length is 11°5 inches. When 
seen flying it is well-nigh impossible to identify it 
from the larger species, and I have heard of cases 
of men having shot what they thought was the 
Common Kestrel, and finding to their astonishment 
that it was the much rarer Lesser Kestrel. Its 
food consists mainly of insects and beetles, but 
it varies this stock diet with mice. I have seen 
it sitting in a cleft of the wall of the Ramaseum 
and other temples, but it is by no means a 
common bird. It nests commonly in the ruins and 
temples, and on the high cliffs, and its young can 
be oftener heard than seen, as they utter a very 
penetrating squeak, squeak, squeak call. 
