36o THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



At the head of the Swale Valley a pair annually attempt 

 to breed, but with variable success, for here, as in other places, 

 the gun and trap are employed against these noble birds. 

 The Rev. Edward Peake says that in the Craven and 

 Ribblesdale districts it still breeds on the crags if unmolested, 

 Mr. W. Eagle Clarke visited an eyrie on the north-western 

 fells in 1880, where orders had been issued for the destruction 

 of a pair of nesting Peregrines, whose doom was sealed owing 

 to their penchant for Grouse. The Falcon was shot as she 

 left her nest, which had four eggs, she being the sixteenth 

 victim to the gun, all killed from eyries on this fell. 



It is with great satisfaction, however, that I am able to 

 state that this magnificent bird is known to nest in another 

 north-western locality, one eyrie having been occupied 

 regularly for a quarter of a century, though very rarely do 

 the birds succeed in rearing a brood ; four pairs nested in 

 1901, and from the summit of a neighbouring hill six eyries 

 may be pointed out on a clear day. The eggs are persistently 

 taken, and from one spot three clutches were abstracted 

 in a single season, there being an interval of about three 

 weeks between each laying. In 1899 three eggs were taken 

 on nth April, and a second clutch was completed on the 30th ; 

 at the same place four eggs were taken on i6th April 1902. 

 Sometimes an old nest of the Raven is utilised as an eyrie, 

 and in 1896 a clutch of Raven's was found, while later in spring 

 three Falcon's eggs were discovered in the same nest. On 

 one occasion an experiment was tried with a fledgling Pere- 

 grine which was introduced into a Kestrel's nest, where it 

 was reared. 



As an autumn and winter visitant the Peregrine is most 

 frequent on the coast, but it also occurs inland, visiting all 

 parts of the county, so that an enumeration of the occurrences 

 would be unnecessary and tedious. 



These immigrants are mostly birds in immature plumage ; 

 this species is a regular autumn and winter visitor, and three 

 have been seen together in autumn, beating along the coast, 

 and disturbing the shore birds. A few of these remain in 

 the district during the winter, chiefly near the coast, though 



