22 
GIca}iiugs. 
of kestrels. One sees the nest, strong enough to bear a human hcing, and 
tlie three young herons waiting for the return of their parent bringing with 
lier the morning meal. The youngsters pass tlio time bv making tentative 
altenijits at Hying until the arrival of the motlier, who disgorges an assort- 
nient ot shrimjjs and other delicacies and immediately Hies away for more, 
leaving the young birds to settle down to slumber after they have eaten to 
repletion. At last two of the herons take their courage in their wings and 
flv from the nest, leaving only one, with room at last to scratch its head. 
Then even the youngest decides to fly away into the unknown, and nothing- 
is to be seen luit a deserted nest." 
" In the second film the mother is seen bringing a tasty dish for the 
yc ung kestrels, a lark, which is quickly gobljled up. An unsuspecting field 
mouse is seen darting across a field: the kestrel swoops down, and again 
the youngsters are happy. Then the father does his duty and catches a lark. 
The mother takes il from his talons in mid-air, and there is again great rejoic- 
ing in the nest, though the meal is such a good one that it is with some 
difficulty that the young birds com])lt-te it. I'or a few moments Captain 
Knight seems to wander from his suliject and introduces the spectator to a 
thrush's nest with the motlier bird and one solitary youngster, but the reason 
soon becomes ap])arent. Tlie young thrush decides to go out into the world, 
but it is immediately caught by the kestrel and brought to her own nest." 
" Here, in our opinion, Cajjtain Knight secures his most remarkable 
pictures. The young birds are seen tearing the thrush to pieces and eating 
until thev could eat no more. But one of the birds, deciding not to be 
beaten, takes the remains of tlie thrush to a neighbouring branch and slowly 
devours every remaining scrap of the victim, though the look of anxiety 
on its face when the process is completed suggests that even in the world of 
the kestrel indigestion is not unknown. In the last phase of the film the 
voung kestrels are seen going out on expeditions of their own. and one is 
shovvn devouring a lieetle which it holds firmly in its claw." 
" Quite a|)art from the aiisorbingly interesting subjects with which they 
deal, the films are marked throughout by some beautiful photography. Some 
of the glimpses of the land of the tree-to])s are admirable, and from first to 
last one is lost in admiration at Captain Knight's wonderful patience. Prc- 
suniabK- he will give us some more of these pictures during the coming 
snnimer, for they afford a concrete example of the educational possibilities 
of the film. When a national film museum comes into being, these films 
sliould be among the first candidates for admission." 
