FALCO TINNUNCULUS (F^MINA.) 



FEMALE KESTREL, 



■i mi ^BBBB*" "" 



X N many of the Hawk tribe, the fexes vary fo much in 

 colour, that we purpofe giving figures of each fex of fuch as 

 are remarkably different in this refpe£l ; in few instances do 

 the colours differ more than in the prefent, The female 

 Keftrel is in length about fixteen inches, and in breadth near 

 two feet fix inches, and weighs about fixteen ounces. 



This is a more daring bird than the male, and may be often 

 feen in the vicinity 01 farm-yards, keeping a watchful eye on 

 fuch chickens as ftray from the flickering care of the parent, 

 on thefe it pounces with the greateft audacity, and carries them 

 off to its neft ; it lays four or five eggs, which are moftly of 

 a reddifh caft, blotched with dark ruft coloured fpots ; as the 

 birds advance in age, the eggs become paler coloured, and we 

 have heard of a neft having been found with the eggs nearly 

 plain. 



Their nefts are ufually built in the holes of rocks, or in 

 ruined buildings, and are compofed of fticks lined with wool, 

 hair, and other foft fubftances ; they have fometimes been 

 known to lay in the deferted neft of the crow or magpie. 



