LESSER KESTREL.

Falco Tinnunculoides, Matter.

La Cresserellette.

Tuts elegant little Falcon, although closely allied to the Common Kestrel, is to be distinguished from that
species by its smaller size, its greater length of wing, the white colour of the nails, and the entire absence of
markings on the back :—the female, however, agrees so closely in plumage with the female of Falco
Tinnunculus, that we have not considered it necessary to introduce a figure of her into our Plate, which
represents the adult male. Notwithstanding, she still retains the characteristics of the species : viz. inferiority
of size, length of wing, and white nails ; circumstances by which she may at once be identified. As far as
we have been able to ascertain, this bird has not been discovered in the British Islands, but is common in
the southern parts of continental Europe, especially Spain, Italy, and the South of France, frequenting rocky
and mountainous districts as well as lofty spires, church steeples, and ruins, selecting such situations for its
breeding places ;—the female (which rather exceeds the male in size) generally laying four eggs, very mucl
resembling those of the Kestrel.

Although we cannot doubt that small mammalia and birds form part of the food of this species, still
we have reason to know that it subsists in a great measure on the larger coleopterous and hymenopterous
insects, which it takes on the wing, darting at them with great quickness and precision of aim.

In some of its characters, and especially its lengthened wing, which reaches the extremity of the tail, the
Falco Tinnunculoides approaches the typical form of the genus more nearly than our Kestrel; yet in both
species we perceive a departure from those strongly marked features which pre-eminently distinguish the
more noble of the group ;—. e. a less muscular form of body, a beak the tooth of which is more rounded and
less acute, tarsi less robust, talons less curved and weaker, in union with a disposition more timid and an
appetite less blood-thirsty ; characters which proclaim a grade below that of their more daring congeners.

It is not the intention of the Author of this work to enter into an analysis of existing genera, or to establish
new ones; nevertheless, he may be allowed to suggest an inquiry to those who are more particularly engaged
in systematic arrangements ;—viz. whether there De not room for a further removal of this bird, and those
in evident relationship to it, from the more typical species which compose the Genus Fadco; naturalists having
availed themselves of less prominent characters in the formation of genera, (Astur and Accipiter, for instance, )
between which there is the closest affinity. On the contrary, there is between the group which we now
refer to, and the Falcons par excellence, a well-marked distinction in habits, disposition, style of colouring, and
food,—sufficient, we think, to constitute a clear ground of separation. This proposed group would contain
at least three well-marked species of the Old Continent ; viz. the present bird, the Common Kestrel, and
the Fulco rupicolus; to which may be added the Falco spar verius of Latham, and several other species of
America and its adjacent islands.

In size the F. Tinnunculordes is inferior to the Kestrel, the total length of the male being eleven inches.

The wings reach to the extreme tip of the tail, which is rounded; the top of the head, occiput, and
sides of the neck are of a fine uniform ash-colour; the whole of the upper surface, with the exception of
some of the larger wing-coverts, the secondaries, anil and rump of a brow nish red without any markings,
the latter being of a blueish ash- colour, as is the tail also, which is crossed with a black band, and at its
extremity tipped with white. The inferior surface is of a clear brown red, thinly sprinkled with small black
dashes and longitudinal marks.

Beak blueish ; cere and space round the eyes ) yellow ; feet yellow ; nails white.

Young males of the year differ little from the adult female.