100 On the Occurrence of some of the Rarer Species of Birds 
a true Faleon, but much rarer than the Peregrine, and which 
probably has never been killed in this country. Mr. Gould says, 
he was unable to find a specimen in any collection here, either public 
or private, at the time he was desirous of figuring this species 
in his birds of Europe. The true Lanner is found only in the south 
and south-east parts of Europe.” Now, in the face of such evidence 
as this, I feel I am very bold in claiming this species as a “ district 
visitor.” But I do so on these grounds—Mr. Hart writes me word, 
“The Earl of Malmesbury has a pair of Lanners shot here, which I 
believe are exceedingly rare.’ He is certainly right in his last 
assertion, which would tend to prove that he is also right in his 
first. Mr. Hart very obligingly called on Lord Malmesbury for me, 
to get the exact dates of their capture; but his Lordship being away 
from home, he could not obtain the desired information. But he 
knows that they were shot on the Heron Court estate, by the keepers, 
and that his father preserved them. Now I would only make this 
remark—-as is well known, the young female of the Peregrine has 
often been confounded with the “ Lanner” of Europe, and my friends 
may say, these specimens can also be neither more nor less. But I 
would suggest that Mr. Hart’s testimony is as good as can be 
obtained ; for he who has had (I dare say) some fifty specimens of 
the Peregrine pass through his hands in the course of his long 
business, and that in all the different states of plumage, is the very 
best man to decide the question. I regret I have not had an 
opportunity of inspecting the birds myself: but, until convinced to 
the contrary, I must claim the rare Falco Lanarius to have been 
taken in this district. 
Falco Peregrinus, “The Peregrine.” On the occurrence of this 
Falcon, the representative, as it were, and most widely diffused of 
all its species, I could find plenty to say. It is by no means to be 
uncommonly met with in this neighbourhood : indeed I myself have 
noticed no less than four at the same time, soaring round our 
Cathedral spire—one of which settled on the extreme point of the 
cross above the weathercock ; and on another occasion, when I was 
at the “eight doors” on the top of the Cathedral tower, a fine Falcon 
pitched on the fret-work, some thirty or forty feet above my head, 
