387 Winged Vermin. 



British hawks, but by no means of the same destructive 

 nature that makes the sparrowhawk so notorious. It is 

 to a large extent a migratory hawk, which accounts for 

 the apparent sudden increase and decrease of kestrels from 

 time to time in various districts. 



Speaking generally, it may be said that the kestrel does 

 but little harm amongst our game, but when nesting early, 

 and other food is scarce, it will persistently raid young 

 partridges and pheasants when they are in the chick stage. 

 At such times the kestrel is both daring and cunning, and 

 by no means easy to capture, so that more reliance must 

 be placed upon the gun than upon traps to secure any 

 kestrels bent on this kind of work. For the most part, 

 however, its food consists of mice, shrews, and a great 

 variety although not great numbers of small birds. 

 Grasshoppers, beetles and their grubs, caterpillars, frogs, 

 lizards, and slow-worms also form a portion of its 

 dietary. As far as its haunts are concerned there is 

 little to say, for it is fairly frequent throughout the 

 country. The kestrel sometimes travels far afield to 

 secure a nesting-place suited to its habits, but there is not 

 much to note respecting its choice of situation for the 

 same. 



Hen Harrier. This is another fine hawk, frequenting 

 downs, commons, fens, moors, and marshy expanses, 

 being more numerous in such localities than in cultivated 

 or enclosed ones. It preys almost entirely on game of all 

 sorts and on many moor-fowl, but it is an easily-captured 

 bird. It seems a pity such a really handsome creature 

 should ever be destroyed for the sake of a pheasant or 

 two, or the like. 



Marsh Harrier. This is also locally termed " moor 

 buzzard," " puttock," and " marsh hawk," and will 

 also occasionally be found in the trap set for other hawks. 



C C 2 



