FALCO BIARMICUS FELDEGGI 137 



sparingly in South Spain, some parts of Ital}', Dalmatia (whence 

 come the specimens on which the name feldeggi was founded), 

 Herzegovina, Montenegro and Bulgaria, in some of which countries 

 it breeds. Lord Lilford also met with the species on the island of 

 Standia off Crete, and Canon Tristram found it common in Palestine. 

 In its habits the present species does not appear to differ from 

 other large Falcons. It is, however, essentially a desert-bird, and 

 though generally frequenting cliffs and rocky ground, may often be 

 observed in the open plain at some distance from any mountain. 

 The bird is highly prized by the Arabs for hawking, and although the 

 "noble art " of Falconry is no longer so popular in North-west Africa 

 as it used once to be, one may still see the sport carried on by some 

 well-to-do " Caid," or Governor of a district. 



The reason given by the Arabs for the decrease of Falconry in 

 their country, is the cost of keeping the birds, but this I cannot think 

 sufficient to account for it, and should be inclined rather to attribute 

 the falling off to the introduction of fire-arms, and the greater facility 

 afforded by such weapons of filling the game bag more quickly, and 

 with a minimum of trouble, the latter a consideration of no slight 

 importance in the eyes of the Arab ! 



The Launer is said to be easily domesticated, if brought up from 

 the nest, as the birds usually are, when required for hawking. 

 Judging, however, from a young bird of this species which was sent 

 me alive from Tunis when about two months old, and which lived 

 for some time in my garden, I should say that this Falcon never 

 entirely throws off its natural distrust of man, or becomes very 

 familiar. 



The Arab name for this bird " Tuer," or " Tair-el-Hor," which 

 means the Noble Falcon, is apparently applied equally, in some 

 districts, to the Barbary Falcon, and in Marocco to the Peregrine, all 

 three species being used for Falconry. The name " Bourni " is also 

 sometimes used for Falcons employed for the chase. 



The note of this species is a shrill cry or shriek, and the mono- 

 syllable "cri " repeated two or three times, expresses its alarm cry 

 very well. 



The Lanner commences nesting operations about the beginning 

 or middle of March, generally selecting as a site for its nest a hole 

 or cleft in a cliff, often at no great height. In Spain the species has 

 been found breeding in trees, and occupying the old nests of raptorial 



