PEREGRINES IN LOVE 131 



He leans upon the moving air, sometimes 

 slipping sideways and losing height, but 

 reassuming poise by quick beats of his 

 chestnut pinions. Our largest hawk, the 

 buzzard, is common in this district by the 

 sea, and with large wings outspread he 

 sails circlewise till his prey is detected, 

 when a slow descent is made to the ground. 

 Often these birds have been observed to 

 hang low over the heather and gorse, 

 motionless, wings arched and bent back- 

 wards, for nearly a minute at a time. But 

 the peregrines, so swift and ruthless in 

 flight and habit, out-hover both the kestrel 

 and the buzzard. The hovering of the 

 kestrel is weak, delicately balanced; that 

 of the buzzard clumsily weighty, and only 

 managed in a strong air-current; the 

 peregrine falcon cuts into the gusts, con- 

 trolling his flight with instant power, un- 

 heeding the wind's vagaries. He can 

 remain still, soar higher, or drift sideways 

 with ease. 



