EEMINISCENCES OF A SPOETSMAK. 



CHAP. XLI. 



KATXJUAL HISTOKT OF THE FALCON'. — THE MALE PEEEGRINE EALCOIf. 

 — THE FEMALE PEREGEINE. — DAEING OF THE FALCON. — BLOME'S 

 DESCEIPTION. — THE PLUMAGE OF THE FALCON. — THE SAKEE. — 



THE TANNER. THE GOSHAAYK. THE FEANCOLLN. — HOW TO 



MANAGE THE FALCON. — THEIR HABITS. — THE SPAEEOW-HAWK:. — 

 HOW TO TEAIN IT. 



The peregrine falcon (F. Peregrinus, Linn.) and the 

 common falcon, are by modern naturalists considered 

 the same bird, but disguised by yearly changes of 

 plumage. As its name signifies, this is a bird of pas- 

 sage, and it is that which Cuvier describes " as big as a 

 fowl, and always known by a sort of triangular black 

 spot on the cheek." The slight falcon, which is the 

 usual name by which falconers know the peregrine, is 

 one of the most important agents in the falconry of the 

 present day. Under these circumstances I shall extend 

 the account relative to its qualities, characteristics, &c. 

 " At every successive change," observes Mr. Bennet, the 

 ingenious naturalist, " the plumage undergoes a fresh 

 modification, not in colour alone, but even in the distri- 

 bution of the markings. It is only after the first moult- 

 ing that it assumes anything like permanence of cha- 

 racter. In the first year it is generally of a light brown 

 on the upper parts, with an ash-coloured tinge on the 

 middle of the feathers. Its head and neck are whitish, 

 with a tinge of red, and numerous dark brown spots ; 



