196 
FEMALE. 
K Es TR EF DL. Ga 
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 {potted 
with black: the interior fides of the quil feathers 
are dufky, deeply indented with white. The whole 
under fide of the bird, of a pale ruft color, fpot- 
ted with black; the thighs and vent only, plain. 
he female weighs eleven ounces: the color 
of the back and wings are far lefs bright than thofe 
of the male: it differs too in the colors of the head 
and tail; the former being of a pale reddifh 
brown, ftreaked with black ; the latter of the fame 
color, marked with numerous tranfverfe black 
bars: the breaft is of a dirty yellowifh white; and 
the middle of each feather has an oblong dufky 
ftreak, pointing downwards. 
The keftrel breeds in the hollows of trees, in the 
holes of high rocks, towers and ruined buildings : 
it lays four eggs, of the fame color with thofe of | 
the preceding fpecies: its food is field mice, {mall 
birds and infeéts; which it will difcover at a creat 
diftance. This is the hawk that we fo ‘frequently 
fee in the air fixed in one place, and as it were 
fanning it with its wings; at which time itis watch- 
ing for its prey. It flings up the indigefted fur and 
feathers in form of a round ball, When falconry 
was 
