578 



REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



sufficiently indicates, it is a bird of passage. It is common in the 

 centre and north of Western Europe, as well as in the islands of 

 the Mediterranean. It also inhabits North America, where it is 

 frequently called the Chicken-eater. 



The flight of the Peregrine Falcon is wonderfully rapid. One of 

 these birds having escaped from the falconry of Henri II., it is said 

 that it performed the whole distance ^from Fontainebleau to Malta in 

 one day, over 300 leagues. It hovers in the air with graceful 



Fig. 266. Lanner Falcon. 



facility, and when it marks a victim, swoops upon it with extraordi- 

 nary rapidity, courage, and ferocity. 



The falcon feeds principally on aquatic birds, pigeons, partridges, 

 and larks. So great is its courage that it has been known to pursue 

 the latter into the nets of the bird-catcher. If compelled, it will eat 

 dead fish, as was observed by Audubon on the banks of the Missis- 

 sippi ; but this circumstance is excessively rare. This bird 

 possesses little dread of man, for it sometimes has the audacity to 

 pounce upon the game which the sportsman has killed, and not 

 unfrequently succeeds in carrying it off. One of these birds estab- 



