PEREGRINE FALCON. 307 



case of a large bird, as the Heron, grappling it and descending 

 with it. It is not by coming against it with its breast, nor by 

 hitting it with its vrings, nor by tearing it with its bill, that it 

 destroys its prey, but by grasping it with its long toes, and 

 thrusting into its vitals its curved and pointed claws. The art 

 of Falconry has of late years been partially revived. 



Since the above was in types I have been favoured by Mr Weir 

 with the following note : — "That the Peregrine Falcon is able to 

 carry a weight nearly equal to its own, and that for a distance of 

 a considerable number of miles, is proved by the following fact. 

 Mr George Craven, gamekeeper to P. G. Skene, Esq. of Pit- 

 lour, Fifeshire, informed me that in the first week of June 

 182.9 he took out of one of their nests, which he discovered in 

 the Isle of May, an old cock Red Grouse. He likewise saw 

 the bones of several birds of the same species. He also in- 

 formed me that the female generally lays her eggs in April, 

 and that they are two, three, and sometimes four. They have 

 usually two young ones, and seldom three. They sit on the 

 ecfss one month. The vouns; are ready to be taken for taminoj 

 in the second week of June, and are able to fly about the be- 

 ginning of July. For some time past he has been in quest of 

 them for the Duke of St Albans, who is Falconer to her INIa- 

 jesty. These falcons he says are now very scarce, there being 

 only one pair for four which he has formerly seen. Almost 

 all the former breeding places have been unproductive these 

 two last years. The places in which he has seen eyries are 

 the Isle of May, the Bass Rock, King Craig near Kilconquhar, 

 the Lomonds, the rock at Newburgh, Benerty Rock near Kin- 

 ross, Glenturit, and many parts of the Highlands." 



Young. — The young when completely fledged are as follows. 

 The bill is light greyish-blue, with only a small portion of the 

 tip dusky, the edges of the upper mandible, and the base of the 

 lower yellowish ; the cere greenish-blue ; the iris dark brown ; 

 the feet greyish-blue, tinged with yellow, and the edges of the 

 scutclla yellownsh ; the claws brownish-black. The upper 

 parts are deep greyish-black, all the feathers marginally tipped 

 with light red ; those on the nape with a large portion of that 



