THE PEREGRINE FALCON 69 



On the west coast of Scotland and, to a lesser extent, 

 on the eastern seaboard, the Peregrine makes its home 

 on the great sea cliffs. Here it preys largely on the in- 

 offensive Pufifln, striking down its victims by a stroke 

 from its hind claw and sometimes knocking the head 

 clean off the body. 



It is instructive to visit the home of the Peregrine 

 during a season of strong winds and to compare his 

 flight under these weather conditions with that of the 

 Eagle. The Eagle is able to soar up into the breeze with 

 never a movement of his wings till he has disappeared 

 from view. The Peregrine mounts also into the arms of the 

 wind, but in its case repeated movements of its powerful 

 wings are necessary to enable it to reach a great altitude. 



After the nesting season the Peregrine wanders far. 

 It is met with along our eastern coast-line, and frequents 

 Holy Island, being attracted by the numbers of duck 

 which have their winter quarters hereabouts. During 

 September 1913 a Peregrine took up its quarters on 

 the Bass Rock, and on more than one occasion I saw it 

 perched on a rock near the summit. From its confiding 

 behaviour I imagine that it had come from the far north, 

 where the Falcon is not subjected to persecution as in these 

 islands. 



The range of the Peregrine Falcon is a world-wide one, 

 for it is found through the vast area stretching from 

 Greenland to South Africa. Through the whole of Asia 

 it is met with also, down to Java and Sumatra ; and in 

 the Nearctic region, from Hudson Bay down to the Argen- 

 tine. Curiously enough, it is absent from Iceland, where 

 perhaps its place is taken by the Iceland Falcon. In 

 India, as in this country, the Peregrine is used for hawk- 

 ing, and among the Hindus its name is Bhyri. To the 

 Persians it is known as Basi. 



During their migration many Peregrines are captured 

 for falconry. A light-coloured pigeon is tied to the 



