FAI.CONID/K. 



;35 





THE PEREGRLNE EALCON. 



Falco peregri'xus, Tunstall. 



This fine species, ///<' Falcon, />ar excellence, of those devoted to the 

 ancient sport of hawking, is still one of the most abundant of our 

 diurnal Accipitres ; and considerable numbers of immature birds, 

 technically known as Passage- or Red Hawks, annually occur 

 throughout our islands — especially on the eastern side — between 

 autumn and the following spring. From some of its former 

 breeding-places it has undoubtedly been banished ; but eyries may 

 still be found — though many of them are yearly robbed — from 

 Kent to Cornwall, and, more frequently, along the west coast and 

 in Wales ; while in the mountainous districts of the north of 

 England they are on inland-rocks as well as sea-cliffs. In Scot- 

 land, although much persecuted on account of its destructiveness 

 to game, the Peregrine is generally distributed throughout the 



