59 



CHAPTEE VI. 



THE FALCOIf. 



' Falco Peregriniis,' the wanderer, is by far 

 the noblest of our birds of prey, for, while the 

 eagle will condescend to feed upon carrion, we 

 never knew an instance of a falcon being detected 

 in doing this. In fact, he will not even return 

 to his quarry if once disturbed from it. Seve- 

 ral of the witnesses whose evidence is before 

 us wish to preserve him, thinking he will act 

 the part of a wise physician and cure the 

 grouse of their disease. Professor Newton 

 thinks him 'harmless,' but states he used 

 only to see one ' for three weeks in the year, 

 and then he generally killed pigeons.' None 

 of these gentlemen mention their habits in the 

 breeding season, and it is curious to observe 



