174 FALCO PEREGRINUS. 



in others parts of the toes were apparent. In flying, 

 the body, tail, neck and bill, are nearly in a straight 

 line, the wings extended and never brought close to 

 the body, and they move by regular flappings, alter- 

 nating with short sailings. In alighting, they generally 

 ascend in a long curve, keeping their feet spread, and 

 come down rather heavily, often finding it difficult to 

 balance themselves, and sometimes, when the place is 

 very steep, or when another bird attacks them, flying 

 off^, to try it a second time. On the rocks they stand 

 with the body nearly horizontal, or they lie on their 

 belly, although some may be seen in an oblique or even 

 nearly erect posture. They usually repose with the 

 head resting between the shoulders, the bill concealed 

 among the feathers of the back. I caught one in that 

 state by walking up to it, and seizing it by the tail and 

 the tips of the wings, which cross each other over it. 



Owing to their interference with each other, a con- 

 stant noise is kept up amongst them. Their cry is 

 hoarse and harsh, and may be expressed by the syllables 

 carra, carra, carra, or kirra, kirra, kirra, sometimes it 

 is era, era, era, or kree, kree, kree, or crac, crac, crac. 

 The cry varies considerably in different individuals^ 

 some having a sharper voice than others, and when 

 unusually irritated they repeat it with great rapidity^ 

 Some person thinks they cry grog, grog ; but neither 

 Mr Audubon nor myself interpreted their notes so. 

 otherwise we could have satisfied a few at least, as we 

 had a bottle of whisky and a keg of water. 



The young are at first covered with very beautiful 

 close snow-white down ; at the age of about six weeks 

 the feathers, make their appearance am@ng ilie down : 



