PEREGRINE FALCON. HI 



those of the same species, in a way that we cannot understand. 



My peregrine falcon, who still lives in the garden, now 

 utters a call which is different from her usual shrill com- 

 plaining cry, and which occasionally attracts down to her 

 some wandering hawk of her own kind. The peregrine 

 falcon is well named, for it is found in all countries. 



Our bird, from good food, and having always had the run 

 of a large garden, instead of being confined in a room or cage, 

 has grown to a great size, and is in peculiarly fine plumage ; 

 with the dark slate colour of her upper feathers forming a 

 beautiful contrast to the rich cream-coloured shade of her 

 neck and breast. 



There is scarcely any common animal too large for her to 

 attack when she is hungry. She will fly at dog or cat, as 

 readily as at a rabbit or a rat. The latter animal she kills 

 with great dexterity and quickness ; and I have also found 

 the remains of half-grown rabbits, who, having feloniously 

 made their way into the garden, have fallen a prey to her 

 powerful talons. 



On changing my residence some weeks ago, I gave a tame 

 peregrine falcon I then had to a friend in the neighbourhood, 

 who keeps her in a walled garden, where she soon became 

 quite at home, and learnt to know her new master as well as 

 she had known me. She almost startled me one day as I 

 was walking in his garden with a bunch of dark-coloured 

 grapes in my hand. The falcon as I passed by her, mistaking 

 the grapes for a bird or some other prey, made a sudden dash 

 at them, and with such violence as in an instant to disperse 

 the whole bunch on the ground, where she hopped about 

 examining grape after grape, and, at last having found out 

 her error, she left them in disgust. 



It must be a strong bird that can withstand the rapid 

 powerful swoop and fierce blow of a peregrine. I have seen 

 one strike the head of a grouse or pigeon with one blow, 

 which divided the neck as completely as if it had been cut 

 off with a sharp knife. 



Few birds of the same kind vary so much in size as 

 peregrine falcons. Some killed in a wild state are almost as 

 large as the noble ger falcon. Altogether the peregrine is the 

 finest of our British falcons both in size, courage, and beauty. 

 It possesses, too, the free courage and confidence which 

 facilitate so greatly the process of training it to assist us in 

 our field sports. 



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