304 FALCO PEREGRINUS. 



the trap. Some hours after the Falcon arrived, alighted near 

 his prey, examined the barrier, and essaying the entrance, 

 touched the fatal spring, and was a prisoner. It frequently 

 preys on the domestic pigeon, either driving it to the ground, 

 or trussing it in the air, and carries it off to some quiet place. 

 In this district it usually goes by the name of King Hawk." 



Mr Thompson, in the second volume of the Magazine of 

 Zoology and Botany, gives a number of very interesting anec- 

 dotes illustrative of the habits of this bird, one of which I take 

 the liberty of transferring to this page. " Mr Sinclaire, when 

 once exercising his do^s on the Belfast mountains, towards the 

 end of July, preparatory to grouse-shooting, saw them point, 

 and on coming up he startled a male Peregrine Falcon off a 

 grouse (Tetrao Scoticus) just killed by him, and very near the 

 same place he came upon the female bird, also on a grouse. 

 Although my friend lifted both the dead birds, the hawks con- 

 tinued flying about, and on the remainder of the pack, which 

 lay near, being sprung by the dogs, either three or four more 

 grouse were struck down by them, and thus two and a half 

 or three brace were obtained by means of these wild birds, being 

 more than had ever been procured out of a pack of grouse by 

 his trained falcons."'' This is a striking example of the disre- 

 gard for the presence of man which a very shy bird will occa- 

 sionally exhibit when impelled by the cravings of appetite. 

 An eagle has seized a domestic fowl almost in the midst of a 

 number of people, and another has carried off a grouse just 

 disabled by a shot ; and yet were one to attempt to approach 

 an eagle when not occupied, he would find his endeavours 

 fruitless. 



The Peregrine Falcon appears to be at least as common in 

 North America as in Europe. The birds of both regions are 

 those which have been most minutely and correctly described, 

 and it is to a Scotchman that the world is indebted for the first 

 accurate account of those of the United States. Wilson, how- 

 ever, knew very little of the Peregrine Falcon, which has been 

 better studied by his successor Mr Audubon, who states that in 

 America its habits are precisely the same as in Europe. " Hav- 

 ing arrived within a few feet of the prey, the Falcon is seen 



