BRITAIN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 169 



The Peregrine was par excellence the bird of the ancient 

 and noble pastime of hawking. The female is con- 

 siderably the larger, and it alone was called the 'Falcon,' 

 her smaller mate being termed the 'Tiercel."" The score 

 of other terms for various ages and conditions need not 

 be enumerated. The word 'Peregrine' refers to the 

 partially migratory habits of the species in the wild state. 



The Falcon was flown at the largest game, such as 

 Herons and Wild-Geese. She could soon overtake these, 

 and wheel round her selected victim, now itself rapidly 

 mounting, until from a superior altitude she could 

 ' stoop ' and grapple with it, bearing it in its death-throes 

 to the ground. The Tiercel was flown at smaller birds, 

 such as now make up the chief part of its natural fare — 

 Puffins and other Sea-fowl, Rock-Doves and Hooded Crows 

 on the coast, Grouse, now its undoing, Golden Plover, 

 Peewits, Wild-Duck, Teal, Rooks, and others in more 

 inland haunts. 



The exact method of capture differs with the size of the 

 victim. 'Having arrived within a few feet of the prey, 

 the Falcon is seen protruding his powerful legs and talons 

 to their full stretch. His wings are for a moment almost 

 closed ; the next instant he grapples the prize, which, if 

 too weighty to be carried oft', he forces obliquely to the 

 ground, sometimes a hundred yards from where it was 

 seized, to kill it and devour it on the spot. Should this 

 happen over a large extent of water, the Falcon drops 

 his prey, and sets oft' in quest of another. On the 

 contrary, should it not prove too heavy, the exulting 

 bird carries it off' to a sequestered and secure place.' So 

 wrote Audubon, describing the habits of the practically 

 identical American 'Duck-Hawk.' Most victims can be 

 trussed in the air and forthwith carried off, for the 

 Peregrine Falcon can bear a weight almost equal to its 



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