CHEVIOT 119 



To-day I could still enjoy the pleasure of seeing - a 

 peregrine falcon, one of which dashed out from a rock- 

 ledge in the crags far below, and, with her beautiful wild 

 scream, circled and soared around for some minutes 

 before disappearing- among- the clouds. 



The following - is a note made some years ago on the 

 breeding- of the peregrine on the Borders, though it does 

 not refer to the Bezzil nor to Cheviot at all : — 



May 29. — The peregrines at B — ■ — - Crag have this 

 morning- hatched two young - — white and down-clad. 

 Their larder contains a snipe, a golden plover, and a 

 cushat, all these uneaten. There are, besides, numerous 

 wings and other fragments of former feasts on the ledge, 

 and scattered on the rocks beneath. Ten days ago (May 

 1 9th), there were three eg-gs, lying quite bare on a mere 

 scratching on the rock-ledge, and quite easy of access. 

 The falcon's note resembles that of a kestrel, but 

 is louder — there is a kestrel's nest close by, for com- 

 parison. The raven's nest this year is within 20 

 yards of the falcon's ; but the young of the former have 

 already flown, a month ago. Curiously, this latter nest 

 is built on the exact spot where the peregrines bred last 

 year. 



On a steep heathery slope, half a mile beyond, a pair 

 of merlins had their nest. We watched the male chase 

 a cock-grouse. It was probably in pure fun and exuber- 

 ance of spirit ; yet the grouse doubled and dived into 

 some long heather to avoid being struck. 



Further round to the north and east of the Bezzil, 

 above the head of Goldscleugh burn, a third great 

 ravine cleaves asunder the mountain-side with a singular 

 diagonal fissure. At this crag, on one occasion, while 

 crawling to look over a perpendicular face, we came on a 



