FALCO TINNUNCULUS (F.EMINA,) 
FEMALE KESTREL. 
In 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 refped ; in few inflances 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 ot farm-yards, keeping a watchful eye on 
fuch chickens as ftray from the fheltcring 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 wc 
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 
yuined buildings, and are compofed of flicks lined with wool, 
hair, and other foft fubftances ; they have fometimes been 
known to lay in the deferted neft of the crow or magpie. 
