16 SOME BRITISH BIRDS OF PREY. 
Peregrine fly up and down the cliffs through a screaming 
flock of jackdaws, and, at intervals, swoop down and send 
a black ball of feathers hurling into the waves, without 
attempting to seize a single bird. It is, however, very 
doubtful whether he is so very destructive to game as some 
game-keepers would have us believe; and it is quite 
possible that the prevalence of disease among the grouse 
at the present time is due largely to the destruction of the 
falcons and other birds of prey. 
The Peregrine used to be trained for flying at herons, 
partridges, and other large birds. The best Peregrines are 
caught in the Autumn when the birds are migrating, and 
called ‘“‘ Passage Hawks.” This is a bolder and grander 
bird, and is far more valuable than the birds brought up 
from the nest. 
The true falcons alone have a tooth projecting, which is 
absent in the hawks, which have their upper beaks cut into 
teeth, a peculiarity common to all birds of prey. 
The Kestrel is, without doubt, the commonest bird of 
prey in the British Isles, and perhaps, from its habit of 
hovering in the air, it has gained the title of ‘‘ Windhover.” 
Its method of balancing itself in the air with quivering 
wings and outspread tail is quite peculiar to itself. On 
almost any day a very fine male specimen may be seen 
hovering over the fields about the golf links, at Branston, 
hunting for his food. He is seen balancing himself about 
50 feet above the ground, he then drops a few feet and 
again is suspended between earth and sky. He now 
advances towards you, flying always up wind, his wings 
flapping hurriedly or held quite motionless. In a moment 
he may be directly over you and you can see his broad 
head turning restlessly from side to side. Now he glides 
forward a few yards and again remains motionless, or, with 
a few rapid beats of his wings, darts off in a side long 
direction and again poises himself. He sees a mouse, and 
