4 THE BIRDS OF DORSET. 



the cliff, far out of danger, although the parents dis- 

 played their anxiety by flying to and fro in the 

 neighbourhood. I had been previously watching 

 them for some time, little suspecting I was actually 

 within sight of the brood, though with an un- 

 fathomable gulf intervening. A young bird of the 

 year was shot at Milborne St. Andrews, in 1874; 

 a pair near Wareham in 1880; another at Mel- 

 bury, and one at Bryanston in 1881 ; a female and 

 two young ones were seen at Chapman's Pool in 

 August 1882. I have twice seen the Peregrine 

 baffled in its stoop at a bird once on the beautiful 

 lake at Crichel. I had been watching one as it 

 poised to and fro, keeping the wildfowl in an excited 

 and uneasy state ; suddenly it selected a Goosander 

 which was flying a few feet above the water, when 

 the latter, seeing its danger in time, eluded the 

 stoop by as suddenly diving. The falcon rose in the 

 air disappointed, and flew off to seek a less crafty 

 quarry. The second instance occurred last summer 

 (1886) on Ballard Down, near Studland. I observed 

 a Peregrine which I had been watching suddenly fly 

 out to sea in pursuit of a Jackdaw which was cross- 

 ing the bay ; the quarry perceiving its danger, began 

 to " ring up," but finding itself baffled and the falcon 

 gaining in altitude, most adroitly closing its wings, 

 dropped perpendicularly to within a foot or two of 

 the surface of the sea, and then recovering itself, 

 made directly towards the cliffs, which it safely 

 reached, and although still pursued, I believe it 

 escaped. On three occasions I have seen a Pere- 



