AVES— FALCON 



431 



general, that it was made felony in the reign of Edward the Third to steal a 

 hawk- To take its eggs, even in a person's own ground, was punishable 

 with imprisonment for a year and a day, together with a fine at the king's 

 pleasure. 



Of many of the ancient falcons used for this purpose, we at this time 

 know only the names. Of those in use at present, both in England and in 

 other countries, are the jer falcon, the falcon, the lanner, the s'acre, the 

 hobby, the kestril, and the merlin. These are called the long winged 

 hawks, to distinguish them from the goshawk, the sparrow-hawk, the kite, 

 and the buzzard, that are of shorter wing, and either too slow, too cowardly, 

 loo indolent, or too obstinate, to be serviceable in contributing to the plea- 

 sii-e of the field. 



THE PEREGRINE FALCON. * 



In different stages of its growth the peregrine falcon has been known by 

 various English names. Its proper appellation among the falconers is the 

 slight falcon, the term falcon gentle being equally applicable to all the spe- 

 cies when rendered manageable. The young bird of the year is called an 

 eyess, not, as has been imagined, from the German ey, an egg, but from the 

 French nias, which has the same signification as eyess, most of the terms 

 of falconry having been adopted from the French. Several other instances 



1 Falco Peregrinus, Lin. 



