THE PEREGRINE FALCON. 17 



v/ith bones. Eemarkable as are both male and female bird 

 for muscular power and higli courage, the latter, which is 

 also considerably larger, is by far the superior. The female 

 was, consequently, in the days of falconry flown at Herons 

 and Ducks ; the male, termed a Tiercel or Tiercelet, at 

 Partridges and Pigeons. In their native haunts they seem 

 to cause little alarm among the Pufidns and Eazor-bills by 

 which they are surrounded, but the sudden appearance of 

 a pair in a jDart of the cliff frequented by Jackdaws, causes 

 terrible consternation ; while any number of intruders on 

 their own domain are driven away with indomitable 

 courage. When pressed by hunger, or desirous of changing 

 their diet, they condescend to attack and capture birds so 

 small as a Lark, and it is remarkable that however puny 

 may be the prey, the Falcon preserves its instinctive habit 

 * of dealing a deadly blow at once, as if afraid that under 

 all circumstances the natural impulse of its quarry were 

 to stand on the defensive. Even in ordinary flight the 

 movement of its wings is exceedingly quick, but when it 

 stoops on its prey its rapidity of descent is marvellous, 

 accompanied too, as it is, by a sound that may be heard at 

 a distance of two hundred yards. Perhaps no bird has 

 had more written about it than this Ealcon, numerous 

 treatises ha^dng been composed on the art of " reclaiming " 

 it, or training it for hawking, and the proper method of 

 conducting the sport. We have at present space only to 

 add a few words on the latter subject. The art of the 

 falconer is to intercept the Herons when flying against the 

 wiad. When a Heron passes, a cast or couple of Falcons 

 are thrown oft^ which dart into the air, flying in a spiral 

 direction to get above the Heron. As soon as the first 

 has attained the necessary elevation, she makes a stoop, and 

 if she misses, a second stoop is made by the other in her 

 turn. When one has succeeded in striking its prey, the 

 other joins in the attack, and all three birds come to the 

 gi'ound together, buoyed ia their descent by their expanded 



