PEREGRINE FALCONS 223 



The first, as has been shown, is where the big 

 hawk sails round or soars fairly high in the air, 

 till a likely quarry likewise at a fair elevation 

 passes beneath, when, if hungry, it descends on 

 its victim like a flash, more often than not with 

 pronounced effect ; the second, for the Falcon, as 

 it winnows along, sometimes proceeding by a 

 series of switchback curves, to pursue any bird it 

 may happen to flush, only rising above and stooping 

 at its prey when a favourable opportunity of 

 administering the coup de grace is presented. The 

 blow is always, so I believe, delivered with the foot 

 and presumably by the hind talon, which generally 

 strikes the victim on the wing or back, often 

 ripping a flap of skin clean from the body and 

 shattering ribs and backbone alike. Sometimes, 

 however, the hapless creature is neatly beheaded, 

 as though by a scimitar-edged razor. As has 

 been described, but to glance at momentarily once 

 again, when the quarry is made the hawk shoots 

 up and describes a few leisurely turns before 

 finally coming down to its meal. Then, after a 

 careful scrutiny to find out if the coast is clear, it 

 turns its booty breast upwards, nips its head off 

 and tears greedily at the upturned chest : so that 

 any bird with these defacements found lying on its 

 back on down or mountain unmistakeably bears 

 the label of a hungry Peregrine. 



The quarry is not invariably killed outright. I 

 have one specially sad scene vividly painted in my 



