NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



267 



near the end of the upper mandible on each side : its tail, or train, 

 was short in proportion to the bulk of its body; yet the wings, 

 when closed, did not extend to the end of the train. From its 

 large and fair proportions it might be supposed to have been a 

 female ; but I was not permitted to cut open the specimen. 2 For 

 one of the birds of prey, which are usually lean, this was in high 



PEREGRINE FALCON. 



case : in its craw were many barley-corns, which probably came 

 from the crop of the wood-pigeon, on which it was feeding when 

 shot ; for voracious birds do not eat grain, but, when devouring 

 their quarry, with undistinguishing vehemence swallow bones and 

 feathers, and all matters, indiscriminately. This falcon was pro- 

 bably driven from the mountains of North Wales or Scotland, 

 where they are known to breed, by rigorous weather and deep 

 snows that had lately fallen. 



I am, etc. 



