THE MUSEUM. 



129- 



the game laws which would debar boys 

 under sixteen years of age carrying iire 

 arms. Such a change he thought and 

 no doubt would also be the means of 

 preventing many such deplorable acci- 

 dents as we see recorded every year in 

 the public press. 



It is to be hoped that at the first 

 session of our Legislature some action 

 may be taken in the direction suggest- 

 ed so that it may become law. 



I will now take up and give a de- 

 scription of a few very rare species 

 which have been taken within the past 

 year, the first on the list I find being: 



The Perigrine Falcon or Duck Hawk 

 {Falco Pcrigrinus). These birds are 

 becoming very scarce in the vicinity of 

 Toronto, so far as I can learn the last 

 one was shot by Mr. George Pierce on 

 our Island this year. The specimen 

 before you was killed at Port Rowan 

 by Mr. J. R. Well last month. 



This bird is no doubt the most pow- 

 erful bird of prey for its size that tfie^, 

 and its courage is not less than 11s 

 power, once it singles out a duck or 

 Coot for a meal, it travels almost 

 like a bullet in pursuit and seldom mis- 

 ses securing the prize. 



Cassel's book of birds says no bird 

 from a wild goose to a Lark is safe 

 from its attacks. 



I have on several occasions witnes- 

 sed these Falcons strike and carry off 

 both ducks and Coots at the St. Clair 

 marshes, and when out shooting some 

 years ago on our lower or Eastern sand 

 bar I had one of these birds carry off a 

 Golden Plover that had fallen only 

 about seventy or eighty yards from 

 where I stood, the noise of the eun 

 not seemingly disturbing his lordship 

 in the least. 



On another occasion during last win- 



ter my attention was called to one of 

 this species that took up its abode on 

 the tower of St. James Cathedral in 

 our city. It remained there for abnut 

 two months and roosted on the stone 

 ledge on the north side of the tower 

 immediately above the clock. In com- 

 pany with one of my friends we watch- 

 ed the bird with a spy glass several 

 times. Even the striking of the clock 

 or the ringing of the large bell did not 

 seem to disturb it in the least. When 

 hungry it would dart after the tame 

 pigeons and sparrows in the neighbor- 

 hood and thus supply itself with food. 



It seemed to be quite at home and 

 contented, even with the constant 

 noise and bustle of our main thorough- 

 fare. 



This alone would show how inde- 

 pendent and courageous the Perigrine 

 Falcon is. 



There is no doubt that the Falcon 

 v\e have here is the typical bird used 

 for many ages in the old world for the 

 capture of wild birds and animals. 



The sport of Falconry dates back 

 almost beyond our comprehension. 



In China it appears to have been 

 practiced some two thousand years B. 

 C. , and the records of King Wen 

 Wang, who reigned over a province of 

 that country in si.x hundred and eighty- 

 nine B. C, prove that the art was at 

 that time in very high favor. 



In Japan it appears to have been 

 known si.x hundred years B. C. and at 

 an equally early date in India, Arabia, 

 Persia and Syria. 



Sir A. H. Layard in his work on 

 Nineveh and Babylon speaks of find- 

 ins: in some ruins a bass relief cf a 

 Falconer bearing a hawk on his wrist, 

 which would make it appear the sport 

 dated back there some seventeen hun- 

 dred B. C. 



