Y2 PHEASANTS FOR COVERTS AND AVIARIES. 



addsj "^We canuot acquit them of the charge of a very 

 pugnacious and destructive tendency amongst their own and 

 other species of birds, and they are most certainly bad neigh- 

 bours for young pheasants and partridges, as they not only 

 consume a good deal of the food intended for game birds, but 

 will now and then capture and devour the birds themselves." 



The common Kestrel, or Windhover, so well known as a 

 destroyer of field mice and rats, has also been accused of 

 attacking young pheasants. Mr. J. H. Gurney, of Northrepps, 

 one of the highest authorities on accipitrine birds, writes as 

 follows: — "Mr. Stevenson, in his article on the Kestrel in 

 the 'Birds of Norfolk,' remarks: 'That some kestrels carry 

 off young partridges as well as other small birds during the 

 nesting season, is too well authenticated as a fact for even 

 their warmest advocates to gainsay.' For many years I have 

 endeavoured to collect reliable information on this point, and 

 I am convinced of the correctness of Mr. Stevenson's opinion 

 above quoted; but there is this difference between -the 

 sparrowhawk and the kestrel in their habits of preying on 

 young partridges and pheasants — viz., that the kestrel only 

 destroys them when very young, and the sparrowhawk 

 continues to attack them long after they have grown too large 

 to be prey for the kestrel. To particularise two instances: 

 Many years ago, a very young partridge was brought to me 

 which had been taken out of a kestrel's nest at Easton, in 

 Norfolk ; and a gamekeeper in this parish, who is as trust- 

 worthy an observer of such matters as any man I know, 

 saw a hen kestrel take up a very young pheasant in its 

 talons and rise with it about eight feet from the ground; 

 my informant then fired at the depredator with a small 

 pistol, when it dropped its prey, which, though somewhat 

 injured, ultimately recovered; and an instance of a young 

 pheasant found in the nest of a kestrel was recorded in The 

 Field of May 13, 1868." 



Mr. Booth, in his " Rough Notes," has carefully investi- 

 gated the accusations against the kestrel, and he maintains 



