Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/834

 814 KESTREL which Panticapseum was situated, and at the foot of which Kertch now stands. Among the Kertch. numerous tumuli in the vicinity, the most ex- traordinary are those situated at the mountain called by the Tartars Altun-Obo. One of these is 165 ft. in diameter ; a vestibule 6 ft. square leads into a tomb 15 ft. long and 14 ft. broad, which formerly contained the bones of a king and queen, golden and silver vases, and other ornaments. Below this tomb is another, and from the two 120 Ibs. of gold ornaments are said to have been carried away at the conquest of the place by the allies in 1855. It is sup- posed that it was erected not later than the 4th century B. 0. KESTREL, a European falcon, of the genus tinnunculus (Vieill.), much resembling the Kestrel (Tinnunculus alaudarius). American sparrow hawk. This bird ( T. alau- darius, Briss.) has the form and proportions of KESWICK the falcons proper, except that the tarsi arc longer and the toes less stout. The length is about 14 in., and the ex- tent of wings 28, the fe- male being a little larger than this ; the closed wings are about 2 in. shorter than the tail. In the male, the general color above is light grayish blue, the back and wing coverts pale red with triangular dark spots ; the tail with a subterminal broad black bar ; the lower parts light yellowish red, with long longitudinal dark lines and spots. In the fe- male, the upper parts are light red, with transverse dark bars and spots; the young resemble the fe- male. The kestrel hov- ers in search of prey at a height of 30 or 40 ft., from which it pounces upon small birds, mice, moles, reptiles, and sometimes worms and beetles, which it finds in the open fields; from its peculiar manner of hovering, it has received the popular name of wind-hover; it occasionally pursues birds in open flight. When not in search of food, the flight is high, with rapid flaps and occasional sailings. Silent when hovering after prey, it is very noisy in the breeding season ; it breeds on cliffs near the sea, in trees in the woods, in ruined build- ings or high towers in towns, and in the desert- ed nests of the crow family ; the eggs, three to five, are reddish white, with irregular dots and patches of dull brownish red. This is one of the most common birds of prey in Great Brit- ain, in almost all districts except the interior heaths. When taken from the nest, kestrels may be trained to pursue quails, snipes, larks, and birds of similar size. Their numbers are greatly diminished during winter, and they are said to migrate to northern Africa. Though persecuted by gamekeepers often for the sins of the sparrow hawk, it is of positive benefit to man by destroying great numbers of mice. It is found throughout Europe. There is a smaller kestrel (T. cenchris, Nauni.), with long- er wings and fewer spots, in eastern and south- ern Europe. The kestrel swallows small mam- mals whole, but removes the feathers from its bird prey. There is considerable variation in the plumage. KESWICK., a market town of Cumberland, England, on the S. bank of the Greta, 22 m. S. S. W. of Carlisle ; pop. in 1871, 2,777. It is well built, contains two museums, chiefly of minerals, and has manufactures of linsey- woolsey stuffs, cutlery, and black-lead pencils. Lying within one mile of the foot of Skiddaw and half a mile from Derwentwater, it is much resorted to by tourists, for whose accom-