PEREGRINE FALCON. 1(J9 



*)d towards the rock, questioning the steersman as to 

 liis knowledge of oinithohigy. He informed us that 

 a pair of hawks have annually bred on the Bass from 

 time immemorial, to his own knowledge for the last 

 nineteen years. It is not, however, to be supposed that 

 the same pair continues for many years in succession ; 

 for I have seen two peregrines that were shot on the 

 rock in 1826. Sometimes, but rarely, the young are 

 carried off, in which case the birds nestle the following 

 year in a different station. This year, according to my 

 informant, the nest contained three young, of which 

 two were taken out for a gentleman in Berw ick, who 

 gave h(df-a-guinea for each, while the third made its 

 escape. The nest is composed entirely of dry grass, 

 and is placed towards the summit of the cliff. The 

 birds carried to it by the falcons to feed the young are, 

 according to my informant, auks, guillemots, kitti- 

 wakes, various other sea birds, plovers, pigeons, and 

 especially red grous. Once he found a black cock in 

 it, at which he was not a little surprised. 



Softly and steadily scuds the bark before the gentle 

 breeze, which scarcely ruffles the smooth surface of the 

 waters, the thin vapours float over the face of the ocean, 

 the air is soft and warm, and now we perceive the gan- 

 nets flying along the cliffs. In a little while we reach 

 the landing place, disembark, and betake ourselves to the 

 low point to look at the birds in the precipice that 

 fronts Tantallon on the opposite coast. Having made 

 our observations, we pass through the ruins of the for- 

 tifications, ascend to the summit of the rock by a wind- 

 ing path, pause by the way to look at the phalanx of 

 gannets breeding on the steep slope, and which are 



p 



