PEREGRINE FALCONS 219 



probable death, certain disablement, on the ground 

 beneath ; while the destroyed never to rise again 

 falls like a stone earthwards a lifeless, blood- 

 bespattered bunch of feathers. Sometimes, of 

 course and especially when dealing with com- 

 paratively small fry the slayer "binds to' its 

 quarry in mid-air. 



Take a typical instance to be seen sometimes 

 (though not half so often as you would suppose, 

 even where the Peregrine is common), and usually 

 by him who has unlimited leisure. Standing some 

 spring morning on this southern headland to inhale 

 the salt-laden breeze, to contemplate the ceaseless 

 swell of the Channel, a sable cloud of Daws each 

 silvered nape fairly glinting in the sun drifts forth 

 from the precipice face cackling excitedly as is their 

 custom. Herring- Gulls, too, visions of lavender- 

 grey and snowy whiteness, soaring high in air 

 head to wind, expresss their feelings in harsh, rest- 

 less cries. Higher still, in wide circles, there roams 

 a tiercel Peregrine. A Stock-Dove one of several 

 darts along like some grey meteor parallel with 

 the wall of chalk, yet fairly high above and well 

 out over the beach, for it is the ebb of a neap 

 tide, and therefore very low w r ater. You watch 

 him admiringly ; so, too, does the Peregrine, 

 only for different reasons. Swift though the 

 pigeon 's flight it will save him not at all ; be his 

 twists ever so quick, his turns ever so extra- 

 ordinary, they will reap him little advantage. For 



