6 The Kestrel. 
Length, sixteen inches; breadth, thirty inches. Eggs 
rust-colour, spotted with red-brown. 
There is a custom existing among gamekeepers of 
hanging different species of vermin on the lower 
branches of trees, as trophies of their diligence in 
their business. One particular tree is generally chosen 
by those individuals at cross ridings, where you may 
see the innocent barn owl and Kestrel classed with’ 
the notorious sparrow hawk, stoat, and cat. We hope 
the habits of birds will reach such people as these; so 
that if a bird is classed with others of unsuitable be- 
haviour, it may not be put down with the worst of its 
kind. | 
This beautiful species of hawk is the most common 
in Great Britain, and is widely spread throughout all 
Europe. It is an elegant bird, with flight easy and 
eraceful—wheeling round in half circles and appearing 
suspended in the air sometimes for a minute together, 
from which it takes the name of “ Windhover.” 
It feeds chiefly on beetles, grubs, lizards, and field= 
mice, falling like a stone upon its victim from one of 
its hoverings above. Young plantations in the spring 
of the: year, and: stubbles in the autumn areswery 
favourite places for this bird; here it may be seen, 
