this respect, as in many others, closely resembles the
Kestrels, especially the Lesser (Falco cenchris). It is,
however, more crepuscular than the Common Kestrel,
and, in my experience, is not very often to be seen on
wing hunting for food till late in the afternoon; and it
certainly frequently carries on its hunting long after the
sun has set. During the stay of these Falcons in Corfu
they seemed to spend the hot hours of the day perched in
small clusters on the tall cypresses and few poplars that
diversify the lovely scenery of the island; as the day
waned these birds might be observed hovering and
circling in every direction at a moderate height over
the fields and olive-groves, showing a decided predilection
for the neighbourhood of streams or ponds of
freshwater. They had no fear whatever of human
beings^and frequently flew past or hovered within
half a gun-shot of us as we sat or stood perfectly
unconcealed.
I believe that this Falcon takes its prey principally
on wing, but also not infrequently from the ground,
upon which it runs with remarkable ease and speed.
The stomach of a specimen killed in Corfu contained
portions of the remains of large moths, whilst the crop
of the only one that I cared to shoot for identification
in Cyprus was crammed with small dung-beetles.
Of the breeding-habits of this Falcon I know nothin o-O
from personal observation. For a most interesting
account of the habits of this bird m Southern Russia I
will refer my readers to a translation given at length by
my friend Mr. H. E. Dresser in his great work, the
■ Birds of Europe,’ vol. 6. The Red-footed Falcon
breeds in small societies in Hungary and other parts of
South-eastern Europe; it generally occupies the abandoned
nests- of Crows or Magpies, and lays from four
to six eggs in May. With regard to the gregarious
breeding-habits of this species I well remember to have
heard a story many years ago from the late E. Clough
Newcome to the effect that some Rooks being required
alive for the training of Peregrine Falcons at Vienna,
an emissary was despatched thence to a reported
“ rookery ” at some distance down the Danube, and
that on his arrival at the indicated locality he found
that the Rooks’ nests were entirely deserted by their
builders, and most of them occupied by Red-footed
Falcons.
The cry of this Falcon closely resembles those of the
Hobby and the Lesser Kestrel, but is quite distinguishable
from either by any one conversant with the
smaller Falconidcs.
In my experience the present species very seldom
comes alive into the hands of bird-dealers in this
country, and is difficult to keep in captivity through the
cold months, although I have not a doubt that during
the summer it would thrive at “ hack,” i. e. at liberty,
if taken from the nest, and “ reclaimed,” or broken to
the fist, before it could fly. I consider the name
“ Orange-legged Hobby,” that has frequently been
applied by English writers to this Falcon, as quite a
misnomer, and 1 look upon it in almost every respect as
being essentially of the Kestrel family.