val) PEREGRINE. 
having fallen into the sea, and been drowned, together with 
birds which they had struck when flying over it; the more 
remarkable as the prey so seized were only small, and far 
inferior in size to themselves: probably they had been in 
some way hampered or clogged, as a good swimmer may be 
by a drowning boy, so that although if they had fallen on 
the land, they might have extricated themselves, yet such 
opportunity has been lost by their mischance of dropping into 
the sea, and they have met with a watery grave. A black 
grouse, a bird equal to itself in weight, if not heavier, has 
been found in the nest of one of these Falcons, with which 
it had probably flown several miles. Sometimes, if it finds a 
bird which it has struck down too heavy to carry away, it 
will drop it, and seek another in its stead. It seldom visits 
the poultry yard. It is said to overpower even the Capercailie. 
Its clutch is less fatal than its stroke: it has been known to 
bear away birds for a long distance in its claw, without serious 
injury. 
This bird has frequently been seen to stoop upon and carry 
off game immediately before sportsmen, both such as had been 
shot at and killed, and others which were being followed. It 
takes its prey as well by pursuit, as by a sudden descent 
upon it. It seldom follows it into cover. Sometimes, for 
what reason it is impossible to say, it has been known to 
strike down several birds in succession, before securing one 
for its food. One instance however is recorded where having 
killed, and being in the act of devouring one bird, it chased 
and caught another of the game kind, still holding the former 
in one claw, and securing the latter in the other. The Pere- 
grine has been known to cut a snipe in two, and in like 
manner to strike off the head of a grouse or pigeon, ‘at one 
fell swoop.’ It is said that all the Falcons crush and destroy 
the head of their prey before devouring them. The Peregrine 
will occasionally kill and eat the Kestrel, though a bird of 
its own tribe. In confinement it has been known to do the 
same; and on one occasion to devour a Merlin, which it had 
slain. Two instances are recorded also of their killing and 
eating their partners in captivity. On both occasions the 
female was the cannibal, but in the latter of the two, she 
died a few days afterwards, from the effects of the wounds 
she had received from the male in his self-defence. They soon 
become quite tame in confinement. 
It is very curious how these and all the other birds which 
