THE PEREGRINE FALCON 159 



chickens, though it retires ignoniiiiiously before an angry hen. 

 When pressed by hunger, it does not refuse the offal of animals, or 

 dead fish ; but being an expert fisherman, it does not confine itself 

 to dead food of this kind, but pounces on such fish as it discerns 

 floating near the surface of the water — carries them off in its talons, 

 and devours them on shore. 



The Kite is more abundant in the northern than the southern 

 countries of Europe, to which latter, however, numerous individuals 

 migrate in autumn. It is of very rare occurrence in the southern 

 counties of England, where no doubt it has gained discredit for 

 many of the evil deeds of the Sparrow-Hawk. It builds its nest of 

 sticks, lined with straw and moss, in lofty trees, and lays three or 

 four eggs. A few still breed in some districts in Scotland, also in 

 the wilder parts of Wales, but their eggs are, unfortunately, soon 

 taken. 



Sub-Family FALCONING. 

 THE PEREGRINE FALCON 



FALCO PEREGRINUS 



Tail not longer than the wings ; upper plumage dark bluish grey with darker 

 bands ; head bluish black, as are also the moustaches descending from 

 the gape ; lower plumage white ; breast transversely barred with brown ; 

 beak blue, darker at the point ; cere yellow ; iris dark brown ; feet 

 yellow ; claws black. Female — upper plumage tinged with brown, 

 lower with reddish yellow. Length fifteen inches ; female seventeen 

 inches. Eggs dull light red, spotted and blotched with deep red. 



The Peregrine Falcon occupies among the ' noble ' birds of prey a 

 place second only in dignity to the Gyr Falcon. Indeed, from its 

 being more generally diffused and therefore more easily obtained, 

 it is a question whether it was not considered, in England, at least, 

 the special bird of falconry. In France it appears to have been 

 used almost exclusively as the Falcon of the country ; and as the 

 number of Gyr Falcons imported to England must have fallen far 

 short of the demand when the gentle science was in full vogue, here 

 also the Peregrine must be considered the bird of falconry. The 

 ' noble ' Falcons were those which flew fearlessly on any birds, 

 no matter how much larger they were than themselves, and at 

 once deprived their prey of life by pouncing on a vital part, devour- 

 ing the head before they lacerated the carcase. The name Peregrine 

 (foreigner) was given to this bird on account of its wide dispersion 

 through most regions of the globe, and for the same reason it has 

 long borne in France the name of Pelcrin (pilgrim), and not on 

 account of its wide range in search of quarry. It is a bird of haughty 

 aspect and rich colouring, sagacious, powerful, and daring ; a type 



