336 PEREGRINE FALCON. 



mainland and the islands, as far as the Shetlands. In suitable 

 localities in Ireland it may be considered a common bird ; and 

 though, as a rule, each pair asserts its supremacy over a tolerably 

 wide area, yet eyries may there be found in proximity. 



To the Faroes the Peregrine is a rare visitor, and it does not 

 occur in Iceland, though it breeds regularly in Greenland up to 

 about 70° N. lat., and on Cumberland Island, across Davis Strait. 

 On the mainland of North America it is represented by F. miatu??i, 

 a closely-allied species with ruddier breast. In Europe it is found 

 from Scandinavia and Novaya Zemlya down to the Mediterranean ; 

 but in the basin of that sea our larger form is only known in winter ; 

 the residents being of a small race, F. pit?iiais, and in North Africa 

 the still smaller red-naped F. harbarus. Across Asia the Pere- 

 grine — allowing for sub-divisions which some authors consider 

 species — is found as far east as Kamschatka, the Kuril Islands, 

 and Japan ; in fact, under one form or another, it is met with 

 almost all over the world. 



This Falcon never builds a nest for itself, but deposits its eggs, 

 usually in April, on some overhung ledge of a cliff covered with a 

 coating of earth, in which a hollow is scratched ; or on the old nest 

 of a Raven, Crow, Heron &c., in rocks or trees: also in church- 

 towers and steeples, and on the ground in Lapland and Siberia. 

 The eggs, 2-4 in number, vary from freckled orange-brown to 

 rich brick-red: average measurements I'g by i"6 in. The same 

 spot is resorted to year after year, and should one of the birds 

 be killed the survivor soon finds another mate. The young are 

 driven away by their parents in August, and in autumn numbers 

 used to be captured on the moors near Valkenswaard in Holland, 

 for hawking. The Peregrine varies its diet according to locality 

 and individual taste ; preying on ducks, waders, sea-fowl, pigeons, 

 grouse, partridges, and even Kestrels, Choughs, Magpies, Jays &c. ; 

 while it sometimes sweeps rabbits off the side of a cliff. In many 

 districts it is known as the * Hunting-Hawk,' and, erroneously, as 

 the ' Gos-Hawk ' ; by falconers the male is called the Tiercel 

 (corruptly Tassel), and the female the Falcon. The cry is a loud 

 and repeated lick, hek, hek. 



Adult : crown, cheeks and moustache blackish ; upper parts 

 slate-grey (paler on the rump) with darker bars ; under parts buffish- 

 white to warm rufous, barred with a very variable amount of black ; 

 cere and legs bright yellow. Length : male 15 in. ; female 19 in. 

 Young : upper feathers brown with buff margins ; under parts 

 ochreous, with dark brown streaks ; cere and legs livid. 



