PEREGRINE FALCON. ](J7 



in the Shetland and Orkney Islands, and in Sutherland. 

 It is also occasionally, though very rarely, found on the 

 cliffs of the Hebrides. The rock of Dumbarton Castle 

 formerly afforded a breeding place to it, as did the Isle 

 of May, and the Bass Rock. Along the east coast of 

 Scotland there are few rocks of great height or extent 

 on which it does not breed. Sir William Jardine states 

 that tlie Vale of Moffat, in Dumfriesshire, is one of the 

 most favourite stations he is aware of, many pairs breed- 

 ing there, and on the confines of Selkirkshire. On one 

 of my visits to the rock of the Grey Mare's Tail, a ce- 

 lebrated waterfall, in the upper part of the district just 

 mentioned, I saw a single peregrine fly oft' from its face. 

 Messrs Sheppard and Whitear, in the Linnean Society's 

 Transactions, vol. xv., mention its occurrence in Nor- 

 folk and Suffolk. According to Pennant, the rock of 

 Llandedno, in Caernarvonshire, was " famous for pro- 

 ducing a generous breed. " In short, as I have stated, 

 it is pretty generally distributed along the coast ; but, 

 excepting the neighbourhood of those cHffs in which it 

 breeds, it is seldom seen, and, in fact, as to number, it 

 may be considered as one of our rarer species. Op- 

 portunities of observing its habits are therefore of un- 

 frequent occurrence, and unless I were to invoke the aid 

 of fancy, I could add very little to what I have said re- 

 specting its manners. But as peregrines are associated 

 with maritime rocks, and these with guillemots and 

 gannets, I may be allowed to enliven my nai'rative with 

 a brief description of the Bass, more especially as it 

 will afford me an opportunity of recording some facts 

 not previously noticed. 



In the middle of August 183.5, while colleetiug 



