NATURAL HISTORY QUERIES. 
121 . A Kestrel at Close Quarters. — I was sitting reading one day 
last week, the house being very quiet, when I was suddenly startled by hearing 
what sounded like a small explosion, and it was apparently overhead, although 
I knew the room to be empty. At the same moment something fell outside the 
window. I jumped up, and looking out saw on the pathway close to me a large 
bird which I had never seen at close quarters before. It was either a sparrow- 
hawk or a kestrel — I am not learned enough on the subject to know which. 
The plumage was a reddish-brown, shading to darker, the breast a pale 
greyish shade, and striped or mottled with black. The legs yellow, also the 
beak and eyes, and the beak very much hooked. The bird was evidently partly 
stunned by the violent contact with the casement overhead. It stood without 
moving for several seconds staring at me. I went to call a friend to come and 
look at it, but was disappointed on my return to hnd it had flown. I am puzzled 
to know why a wild bird of this species was flying so very close to the house, and 
how, with its wonderful sight, it could have collided with the open window. It 
was not after the chickens as they were some way off. Is it possible it was 
chasing some smaller bird ? I have even heard of that kind of bird flying against 
a glass window after a canary in a cage, but in this case there was no such 
attraction. I shall be so glad to be enlightened on this subject by some one who 
knows, as I think it was rather an unusual occurrence. 
Has/emere, E. A. Bedford. 
April 20, 1907. 
122 . Wasps. — Can any of your readers explain the following: I was 
sitting one hot day last August in my garden, and happening to look up I 
noticed some fifteen or twenty wasps flying to and fro to a laburnum tree near, 
which was covered with seed cases. I could not think what they were doing, 
and so looked more closely. I then discovered that the seed pods were thickly 
fringed with minute caterpillars hanging by their gossamer threads. These the 
wasps were darting at backwards and forwards ; it put me in mind of tilting at the 
ring. I watched for a long time, but could not make out what their object was. 
Was it only sport on a hot summer’s day, or was it possible they devoured these 
small caterpillars ? I should be much interested to hear some one’s opinion 
who is learned in the study of wasps, on this point. 
Haslemere, E. A. Bedford. 
April 19, 1997. 
123 . Bud Destruction. — Although residing in a London suburb I am a 
keen gardener and lover of Nature. This season a disappointment has been in 
store. My garden has an edging of Thrift (Armeria marilitna), the “ sea-pink,” 
common upon the rocky shores of Cornwall, and from whence mine originally 
came, and every spring the plants give forth promise of a good display of bloom, 
but I now find that the buds have had their centres eaten away and only the 
brown outer skin of the buds surmount the flower-stalks. I have mentioned the 
circumstance to a friend, who replied that plants which they possess have this 
season had their buds nipped right off from the stalks and lay strewn about on 
the plants ! Can any reader of Nature Notes, say (i) whether the culprits are 
sparrows, (2) whether they have heard of similar cases, as I believe the occur- 
rence is most unusual, and (3) what is the reason of the action of bird or insect ? 
West Norwood. Stanley Ewart Evans. 
ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR JUNE, 1907. 
Mercury will be visible as an evening star during last half of month. Near 
Jupiter at sunset on the 15th. 
Mars rises in E.S.E. at 11.5 p.m. on the 1st, and at 9.22 p.m. on the 28th. 
Near Moon on the 26th. 
Jupiter sets in W.N.W. at 10. 33 p.m. on the ist, and at 9.7 p.m. on the 
28th. Well visible in early evening during first half of month. 
Saturn is a morning star rising in East at 1.28 a.m. on the 1st, and at 1 1.40 
p.m. on the 28th. The beautiful rings of this planet are now scarcely visible. 
Near Moon on June 4, before sunrise. 
