528 



THE PRAIRIE FALCON. 



cmi ^li|) in and gut his dail) meat willi lianlly a rippk- of excilenient im the 

 part i)\ the Iiarnyard ; while every old hen squawks "bloody murder!"" and the 

 shot-gun roars, when some P>uteo, guileless and guiltless, happens to stroll 

 over the ])lace. W ild hinls are, howexer, the I''alcon"s favorite meat. Captain 

 r>endire found them at Walla Walla fattening on lorewer's Blackbirds. Sharp- 

 lailed Crouse ha\-e l)een staple on the bill of fare until latterly; and. in general, 

 it is safe to sav thai where h'alcons abound the bird-wni'ld ]iays the l)ills. 



It is nut always easy to pick mU just the spot in the cliff wdierc the 

 b'alcons are nesting. In case of doubt it is wise tn ap])roach stealthily from 

 abo\ e, in hope of sur])rising the sitting bird. I f her male is off hunting, a rock 

 rail ling doxvn the face of the cliff will cause her to dart out silently from her 

 pust. Xe.xt an nuiburst nf screaming rage will reveal her sagacity. Her mate 

 hurries up, an<l then look mit fur \-iiur head! The angry diving of a pair of 

 screaming Falcons will lr\' the ner\e nf the most hardy otilogist. E\'en when 

 the earliest efforts are disci niraged by show of stick or stones, il is not pleas- 

 ant to feel the rush of the air of a passing falcon-wing ui)on your dishevelled 

 locks, or to mark the instant change fruni the shi'ill iiiJmar of impending doom 

 to the harsh notes of baffled retreat. 

 When a nest 



is located from 

 abo\'e, one must 

 descend, if de- 

 scent is possi- 

 ble, with ut- 

 most care, bulli 

 for f a 1 1 i n g 

 Ijones and fall- 

 ing s tones. 

 W h en firs t 

 reconnoit eri ng 

 the nest shown 

 in tlie accom- 

 jjanying illus- 

 tration, I could 

 not see it from 

 abo\-e, but de- 

 scended cau- 

 tiously in faith. 

 W' i t h camera 

 s 1 u n g f r II m 

 shoulder, and 

 tripod in hand, 



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Tiikcn on Lake Chclati, 



Pluilo by the Author. 



THE K.M^CON'S liliOOU. 



