122 PEREGRINE FALCON. 



act of seizing or rushing on its feathered prey, is 

 swift beyond description. Ordinarily, it is per- 

 formed by rapidly repeated strokes of the wings, 

 in which manner it either sweeps over the country 

 surveying for its quarry, or when the latter has 

 been raised, ascends above, following the course 

 until the moment favourable for descent has 

 arrived, when the pinions are folded close to 

 the body, the course directed by the tail, and a 

 diagonal rush upon the victim follows, which, if 

 light, is seized and borne off in a rising curve, or, 

 if of a heavier description, is felled to the ground.* 

 It is an idea with many that the large Falcons 

 strike their prey with the breast, but the violence 

 of the contact would be felt as severely by the one 

 as the other ; and the blow which would stun a 

 pigeon, or a full-grown wild-duck of equal weight, 

 would surely be fatal to both. The weaker or 

 lighter birds are always clutched up ; and on the 

 others torn wounds are inflicted, which could only 

 be done by the claws. The bill is not used. It 

 has been mentioned, that the Peregrine often strikes 

 several birds of a covey or flock before returning 

 to his first prey ; and Mr Thompson mentions 

 that one of Mr Sinclair's Hawks, which had taken 

 up her abode in a rookery, when flown at rooks, 

 always struck down several before commencing 



* Colonel Thornton knew a Hawk cut a Snipe in two. 



