22 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 
their opportunities, keepers are not to be depended 
upon fer the identification of a species. 
I know few more beautiful sights than to watch the 
flight of this noble bird, especially when it is in the 
pursuit of its prey. Slowly winging its way on high, 
as though in the mere enjoyment of its leisure, its keen 
eye marks a mallard rise from the rushy stream, or a 
wood pigeon from the stubble, and instantly the graceful 
curves of its flight are arrested, and with quick strokes 
of the wing it rushes with the speed of an arrow in 
pursuit of its destined victim. Woe betide the unfor- 
tunate quarry, for its chances of escape are small; even 
the rapid flight of the woodpigeon avails nothing against 
the headlong rush of the peregrine. Ina few moments 
the distance between the pursuer and the pursued is 
fatally diminished, when, with a velocity of which it is 
almost difficult to conceive of the flight of a bird ualess 
Witnessed, it swoops upon its victim, dashing it to the 
ground with a stroke of its formidable hind claw, and 
immediately rising obliquely in the air it checks the 
impetus of its course, and then returns to pick up its 
prey. 
-What is the maximum speed of the peregrine’s flight ? 
On this point I was appealed to by the gentleman who, 
under the pseudonym of “ Peregrine,” has written much 
on the ancient sport of falconry in the columns of The 
Field, and who is one of our best authorities on the 
subject. After admitting that the best estimate must of 
necessity be but an approximation, I expressed my belief 
that the actual speed attained by this noble bird during 
the death rush was at the rate of 150 miles an hour! Many 
who have not witnessed it, may be incredulous as to any 
bird flying with such velocity, but “ Peregrine’s ” long 
