402 Observations on the 



The males of the noble falcons evince about the same kind 

 of affection for their young as the hawks. That of the pere- 

 grine falcon {Falco peregrinus, L.), is but two-thirds the size 

 of the female, but he feeds her whilst she is sitting, and assists 

 faithfully in rearing the young. He clings so much to the 

 favourite rock on which the eyrie is built, as to remain there 

 even after the female and young have been destroyed. The 

 male of the Falco JEsalon, Linn, acts in precisely the same 

 manner ; but that of Falco Subbuteo presents peculiar features 

 It feeds its sitting mate, but does not carry the food to the ey- 

 rie itself. When it has caught a bird, it flies round and round 

 the nest, shouting glee, glee, glee. Upon this the female, ut- 

 tering a similar cry, leaves her eggs or tender young, flies to 

 meet the male, and takes the prey from him, carrying it to the 

 eyrie, there to eat it in comfort. It is delightful to observe 

 the affectionate meeting of these noble falcons. In feeding 

 the young the same forms are observed ; the male soars round 

 the nest with his joyous call, until the female arrives to re- 

 ceive the prey and carry it to the young. It is only when the 

 female has been killed that the male extends his functions, 

 and carries the food to the eyrie, where he often feeds the 

 young with insects from his craw. It is also very interest- 

 ing to observe how the male trains the young to hunting. — 

 At first they are taught to seize some prey which the male 

 presents to them when both parties are on the wing. When 

 they are able to do this with sufficient precision, they catch 

 dead birds &c. which the parent lets fall ; and this instruc- 

 tion is continued until the young are skilful enough to catch 

 living birds. 



The behaviour of the kestrel, {Cerneis, Boje, Falco Tinnun- 

 culus, L.), is very different. The males of this sub-genus, like 

 those of Falco Subbuteo, are so much attached to their fe- 

 males, that they keep together even after the breeding season. 

 They migrate with their respective mates to distant countries, 

 and return with them. During the breeding season the at- 

 tentions of the male become more marked, even before the 

 first egg has been laid. When the female is resting near the 

 newly constructed eyrie, especially towards nightfall, the male 

 will often carry to her a mouse &c, and in arriving he utters 

 a very tender call, which is returned by the female. When 

 she has begun to sit, she may safely trust to the faithful care 

 of her mate, who never fails to provide her with choice mor- 

 sels. The food which he carries to her consists chiefly of 

 mice, (Hypudcaus arvalis). When he arrives he enters the 

 eyrie with great eagerness, and appears to delight so much in 

 seeing the female feasting, that he often stays a considerable 



