PEREGRINE FALCON. 173 



by the intrusion of human visiters, tumbles it about, 

 and often stands upon it. 



When sitting-, the g-annets u^^ually allow a person to 

 approach within three feet, sometimes much nearer, so 

 that one may even touch them. When one approaches 

 them, they merely open their bill, and utter their usual 

 cry, or they rise and express some degree of resent- 

 ment, but seem to have very little apprehension of 

 danger. They take advantage of the absence of their 

 neighbours to pilfer the materials of their nests. Fre- 

 quently two jom in this act, and occasionally two may 

 be seen tugging at the same bunch, endeavouring to 

 wrest it from each other. They are constantly repair- 

 ing their nests, which, being composed in a great mea- 

 sure of sea-weeds, shrink up in dry weather, and de- 

 compose in wet ; and when seated close together they 

 liave frequent quarrels. I saw one seize its neighbour 

 by the back of the neck, until the latter, I may say, 

 roared out ; but, in general, they are satisfied with me- 

 nacing each other with open bills and loud clamour. 

 In leaving the nest, they generally scatter about a quan- 

 tity of the materials of which it is composed, for they 

 are extremely awkward in their motions when on the 

 ground, hobbling and limping along, aiding themselves 

 with their wings, and draggling the abdominal feathers 

 and tail. 



In launching from the cliffs, they frequently utter a 

 single plaintive cry, perform a curve, having its conca- 

 vity upwards, then shake the tail, frequently the whole 

 plumage, draw the feet backwards, placing them close 

 under the tail, on each side, and cover them with the 

 feathers. In some the feet were entirely covered, while 



