Class II. KESTREL. 245 



inches : the breadth two feet three inches. The 

 cere and legs yellow : irides dark. Its colors 

 at once distinguish it from all other hawks : the 

 crown of the head, and the greater part of the 

 tail, are of a fine light grey, the lower end of 

 the latter is marked with a broad black bar : the 

 inner webs of the three feathers next the two 

 middle barred with black ; the tips white : the 

 back and coverts of the wings are of a brick red, 

 elegantly spotted with black : the interior sides 

 of the quil feathers are dusky, deeply indented 

 ¥,ith white. The whole under side of the bird, 

 of a pale rust color, spotted with black ; the 

 thighs and vent only, plain. 



The female weighs eleven ounces : the color Female. 

 of the back and wings are far less bright than 

 those of the male : it differs too in the colors of 

 the head and tail; the former being of a pale 

 reddish brown, streaked with black ; the latter 

 of the same color, marked with numerous trans- 

 verse black bars : the breast is of a dirty yel- 

 lowish white ; and the middle of each feather 

 has an oblong dusky streak, pointing downwards. 



The kestrel breeds in the hollows of trees, in 

 the holes of high rocks, towers and ruined build- 

 ings: it lays four eggs, of the same color 

 with those of the Ringtail. Its food is field 

 mice, small birds and insects, which it will dis- 

 cover at a great distance. This is the hawk 



