224 FIELD-STUDIES OF RARER BIRDS 



memory, where an unfortunate Jackdaw, just 

 caught (I think he must have been swept off a 

 pinnacle of the cliff) and partially feathered, 

 encumbered a female Peregrine, disturbed from her 

 feeding-ledge, as she flew seawards. At length 

 the half-gale which she had to face proving too 

 much for her, she dropped her booty, which 

 fluttering strenuously half nude and frightfully 

 lacerated as it must have been made the shore 

 fully half a mile distant, only after all to be swept 

 away by the incoming tide. 



Great is the uproar on the part of the Falcon's 

 neighbours at the moment when a quarry is made, 

 but once let the victim be sacrificed and peace is 

 restored almost immediately, as though no such 

 horror as a Peregrine existed. Curiously enough, 

 until the actual death-dealing stoop takes place 

 that is if it happens over the cliffs the Peregrine's 

 neighbours appear totally unconcerned at its 

 presence. This is an event of daily occurrence in 

 spring and summer, seeing that most colonies of 

 sea-fowl have as their suzerains a pair of lordly 

 Peregrines. Indeed Gulls, Auks, as well as 

 Daws, among others, sit and stand placidly on the 

 cliff -ledges within a few feet of the dread destroyer. 

 At times even, as the tyrant sails above or around 

 its fastness, some species actually venture to make 

 as if to mob it, Herring- and Great Black-backed 

 Gulls being especially daring in this respect. 

 Sometimes, indeed, one of these fine birds (or 



