120 PEREGRINE FALCON. 



be quite in accordance with the habits of the bird.* 

 In the New World, it is upon the northern coast 

 where it is most abundant ; Melville Peninsula, 

 the shores of Hudson's Bay, and the Arctic Sea, 

 are among its most numerous resorts in summer.']' 

 Captain King, it has been said, met with it in the 

 Straits of Magellan, and the specimen of a hawk 

 from New Holland, in the Museum of the Linnaean 

 Society, is referred to this species. The latter, 

 however, is considerably smaller in size. It is 

 also mentioned, though with a doubt, as a South 

 African bird by Dr Smith, in his catalogue of the 

 " South African Museum/' If these localities are 

 correct, J we shall have the bird nearly universal 

 in distribution where situation is favourable ; and 

 we think it much more than probable that it 

 may also occur in the Alpine regions of India. 



The variation of plumage which takes place in 

 the different ages of the birds of prey, has rendered 

 this species the subject of much confusion and of 

 most varied nomenclature, which has been much 

 increased by the provincial and sporting names 

 which have been applied to the different sexes, 



* Audubon, Orn. Biog. ii. p. 88. 



t Faun. Bor. Am. ii. 1. c. 



t We say " if correct," because we have not examined 

 specimens from either locality, and cannot* therefore, 

 speak decidedly. The authority of Dr Horsfield and Mr 

 Vigors is good. 



