338 On the Ornithology of Wilts | Falconide]. 
the East, so in Egypt and South America the Vultures arriving in 
vast numbers from all parts of the heayens, may be seen clearing 
away the offal and garbage, to which they are in some mysterious 
manner attracted, and which would otherwise poison the atmosphere. 
The second family, ‘ Falconide,’ embraces the Eagles, Falcons, 
Buzzards, Harriers and Hawks, of all descriptions. In common 
with all other birds of prey, (and in this again they resemble the 
carnivorous quadrupeds,) they are monogamous or live in pairs; 
they seldom drink, but during the heat of summer delight to wash 
themselves: they usually swallow part of the fur and feathers of 
their victims with their food, but this and all other indigestible 
parts, as bones &c., they afterwards disgorge in large pellets, or 
castings by the mouth, and they will often skin animals and pluck 
birds with the greatest dexterity. In the whole family of Falcons 
there is a very remarkable difference in size between the male and 
female, the latter being (contrary to what we see in other kinds) by 
far the largest and strongest; and from the fact of the male being 
usually a third less in size than its mate, it always received the name 
of Tiercelet or Tiercel, as a Tiercel Peregrine, a Tiercelet Sparrow- 
hawk, meaning the males of those species.!. They are divided into 
the long-winged or ‘noble,’ and the short-winged or ‘ignoble,’ as 
they were respectively denominated in the good old days of 
hawking: the long-winged, or true Falcons, were those most 
highly prized, and most frequently reclaimed; and there are a few 
plain points of difference by which they may be easily distinguished 
from their more ignoble brethren. Thus, in the beak of the true 
Falcon we shall find a prominent tooth in the upper mandible, and 
a corresponding notch in the lower one; while in the short-winged 
genera we shall see instead of the notch a small festoon, or mar- 
ginal lobe, as it is styled. Again, in the true Falcons, the wis, or 
coloured circle surrounding the pupil of the eye, will be always 
seen to be dark; while in the ignoble birds the irides are universally 
1Shakspeare uses the word, corrupted into Tassel, in the famous balcony 
scene of Romeo and Juliet :— 
‘“‘O, for a faleoner’s voice, 
To lure this tassel-gentle back again !””—Act ii, scene 2. 
a 
