PEREGRINE FALCONS 215 



ground, if viewed the other way on, its dull grey 

 back and dusky hood only look like some shadow 

 thrown on the same. Moreover, in some districts, 

 and notably in Sussex, so accustomed have the 

 birds become to beach-combers, prawn-catchers, and 

 the like, that they will frequently remain at their 

 post quite fearlessly and knowingly secure, as you 

 plod along the shingle bed beneath. Nor do they 

 deign to move a muscle beyond those of the head 

 and neck, unless, of course, you shout or clap 

 your hands vigorously, while even then I have 

 known exceptional cases where the creatures refused 

 to budge an inch. Consequently, even a very 

 capable ornithologist, as yet not quite up to these 

 tricks, may well pass along a wide stretch of cliff, 

 walking below (from the top, of course, he could 

 not fail to succeed so long as he kept near the edge 

 and continually hurled rubble over), and that, too, 

 in the breeding-season, without locating more than 

 one eyrie if that whereas in reality he might have 

 found half a dozen. Our southern cliffs I refer 

 to those of Kent and Sussex being in the main 

 fairly straight, unbroken chains and headlands, that 

 is, not broken up into coves and deep indentations, 

 are best worked from the shore at low tide. Most 

 people seem to think that, if a biggish bird like the 

 Peregrine is frequenting a district, they are bound to 

 see it, and often ; and only a long experience will 

 convince them of the fallacy. Personally, I have 

 sojourned for days on down and moorland within 



