KESTREL. 
33 
The eggs arc four or five, and sometimes, though rarely, 
six in number; they are beautifully varied and richly 
coloured; some of them are suffused over their whole 
surface with red, closely freckled with darker colour, and 
much resembling in this variety eggs of the Merlin ; 
others are blotched with deep colour; whilst intermediate 
varieties occur with a greater proportion of light ground¬ 
colour, and a good deal resembling some eggs of the 
sparrow-hawk, but always of a redder hue. 
I often think with pleasure of a pet Kestrel which was 
my companion when at school. It had been reared from 
the nest, and used to enjoy so much of its native freedom, 
in long flights round the neighbourhood in which we 
lived, that it never seemed desirous altogether to regain 
it. 
Many a time, when sailing high in air, it would pounce 
down at my call, and quietly settling on my arm, remain 
to eat the food which I had brought it. Sometimes, 
greatly to my consternation, whilst at our daily lessons, it 
would enter the open window and fly, loudly screaming, 
round the school-room. 
L) 
