348 PEREGRINE FALCON. 



obtained in Iceland ; but it was found on Jan ^Mayen in April, and 

 breeds regularly in Greenland up to about 70° N. lat., as well as 

 at Cumberland Island, on the western side of Davis Strait. On the 

 mainland of North America is found F. anatum, a closely-allied 

 species with ruddier breast. In Europe, our bird is found from 

 Scandinavia and the Northern Island of Novaya Zemlya (Lutke 

 Land) down to the Mediterranean, but in the basin of that sea it 

 is only known in winter: the resident race being the small F. puniais. 

 Across Asia the Peregrine — allowing for sub-species — is found as 

 far east as Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands, and Japan ; in fact, 

 under one form or another, it is met with almost all over the world. 



This Falcon does not build a nest, but deposits its eggs, often 

 early in April, on some overhung ledge of a cliff covered with a 

 coating of earth, in which a hollow is scratched ; or on an old nest 

 of a Raven, Crow, Heron &c., in rocks or trees (usually pines). It 

 also resorts to church-towers and steeples, while it lays its eggs on 

 the bare ground in Lapland and Siberia. The 2-4 eggs vary from 

 freckled orange-brown to rich brick-red : measurements 2 in. by i '6, 

 The same spot is resorted to year after year ; and one in Connemara, 

 known in 1684 to have been frequented from time immemorial, is 

 still inhabited. Both sexes incubate ; and should one of the birds 

 be killed the survivor soon finds another mate. The young are driven 

 away by their parents in August, and in autumn numbers have been 

 captured on the heaths near Valkenswaard in Holland for hawking. 

 The Peregrine varies its diet according to locality and individual 

 taste, preying on ducks, waders, sea-fowl (especially Puffins), Pigeons, 

 Grouse, Partridges, Lapwings, Hooded-Crows, Rooks, Choughs, 

 Magpies, Jays, and even Kestrels ; while it sometimes sweeps young 

 rabbits off the side of a cliff. In many districts it is known as the 

 ' Hunting-Hawk,' and, erroneously, as the ' Goshawk ' ; by falconers 

 the male is called the Tiercel (corruptly Tassel), and the female the 

 Falcon. The cry is a loud and repeated hek, hek, hek. 



The adult has the crown, cheeks and stripe blackish ; upper 

 parts slate-grey (paler on the rump) with darker bars ; under parts 

 bufifish-white to warm rufous, barred with a very variable amount of 

 black ; iris hazel-brown ; bill bluish ; cere and legs bright yellow. 

 Length: male 15 in., wing 12-5 in.; female 18 in., wing 14 in. 

 Young : upper feathers brown with buff margins ; under parts 

 ochreous, with dark brown streaks ; cere and legs livid-grey. 



For remarks upon the moulting of this and other species of 

 Falcons, reference may be made to the last paragraph on p. 344. 



