26 PEREGRINE 



number, and rather inclining to rotundity of form. Their 

 ground colour is light russet red, which is elegantly marbled 

 over with darker shades, spots, patches, and streaks of the 

 same, or freckled with dull crimson, or deep orange brown ; 

 sometimes with a tint of purple ; or the end is thus marked, 

 the remainder being the ground colour of pale yellowish 

 white, but they vary much, according to the age of the bird. 

 In the days of falconry the Peregrine was in high request 

 as the most docile of all the birds used for hawking. Since 

 the extensive preservation of game it has been ruthlessly 

 persecuted. Some falconers, however, deny that it is preju- 

 dicial to game, and others, on the contrary, like Mr. Booth, 

 in his elaborate notice of this species, maintain that it strikes 

 down birds for the mere purpose of sport. 



