•-'GO 



KALCONINMC. 



will hunt in a pure spirit of mischief to worry, or harry, or kill, as will be seen both by 

 Mr. Savidge's and Mr. Grant's notes. At the Nobby's, Phillip Island, Western Port, 

 Victoria, a pair of Black-cheeked Falcons used to feed largely on Eiidyptula nndiiia, and I have 

 also known them to feed upon various species of water-fowl. The stomach of a specimen 

 procured on the i26th May, 1900, at Cilenlield, contained the remains of a Flatycevcui exiniius 

 and a male Pachvccphala snitiivalii. 



From Copmanhurst, on the Upper Clarence River, New South Wales, Mr. George Sa\idge 

 writes me; — "The Black-cheeked Falcon ( Faico niclaiuojcnys) is sparingly dispersed over the 

 I'pper Clarence River District. I saw a solitary specimen at \'amba, Clarence Heads, where I 

 thought it quite in its element ; a strong wind was blowing at the time, and it was flying low 

 amongst the numerous Gulls and other sea birds, upon which it no doubt preys. I did not 



observe it after any 



quarry there, but it 

 seemed to be able to 

 pass by the numerous 

 birds (juite easily. 

 For power of wing 

 and mag nilicent flight 

 this fierce bird easily 

 takes the palm of all 

 the AcciPiTRES in- 

 habiting this part. I 

 have been spell-bound 

 when this bird has 

 suddenly, and with- 

 out warning, made 

 its swoop close to me. 

 To hear the rushing 

 sound as it dashes 

 through the air with 

 folded wings after 

 ducks or pigeons, is 

 worth going a long 

 way for. The male 

 is a much smaller 

 bird than the female, 

 but equally as daring. 

 I ha\e watched them 

 chase my pigeons 

 until they became mere specks in the sky; at last the r'alcon reaches them, or perhaps 

 they head down to try to pass their pursuer (hard to decide at such a distance). I watched one 

 make two unsuccessful swoops ; he missed the bird twice, but at the third attempt the pigeon was 

 seized and carried away. Upon one occasion at our local pigeon match a Falcon suddenly 

 appeared and seized the pigeon, which had been liberated from one of the traps and had been 

 shot. It carried the pigeon away across the river, amidst the shouting of the many people 

 assembled at the match. Usually they take them to the branch of a tree or on the ground 

 to devour their meal. In May, 1909, a neiglibour shot a Falcon which had seized a full grown 

 fowl, and was tearing it to pieces. I have also witnessed it strike a full grown fowl down, 

 also Black Duck, and one day saw one chase a Black Cockatoo, which it appeared to attack 



NESTINC PLACE AND EGGS OF THE ULACK-CIIEEKEU FALCON. 



