BLO^rE'S DESCRIPTIOX. 2-J9 



are told of the generous lion, exulting in death hut 

 disdaining cruelty. In less than half a minute did the 

 falcon tear out the gullet and windpipe of the heron, 

 and regale on the head and neck " (jNIontague's " Orni- 

 thological Dictionary "). Colonel Thornton asserts that 

 in his hawking career he could never obtain a tiercel 

 (male) that would fly at ducks but from Hambledon, 

 in Yorkshire, although he had tried many others. The 

 female peregi'ine, he observes, is a match for herons and 

 wild geese, and will also stoop at lesser game equally 

 well, and that where perseverance is necessary she excels 

 the tiercel or male. 



This falcon was also known as the hag rjarcl falcon of 

 most of the older writers, and was, according to Latham, 

 the chief of all falcons. Tuberville ranks her as the 

 second only in importance ; but it must be noted that 

 he does this under the impression that the slight or 

 peregTine fr'-^on, and Latham's favourite, known to 

 Latham as the haggard falcon, are distinct species, which 

 there is every reason to believe is not the case. Blome's * 

 description of the peregrine is to the following effect. 

 " The faulcon or slight faulcon is of several shajDes, viz. 

 some large, some small ; others long shaped, and some 

 round trusst ; so are they of several mailes, as white, 

 black, brown, and russet. The principal sorts of faulcons 

 are by all agreed to be the intermewed haggard and the 

 lentiner faulcon, now much in use. Those that are 

 excellent are thus shaped, viz. broad-shouldered, and 

 carrjnng her breadth down to her tail, wide and strong, 

 with short arms and a large foot, a short beak, and a 

 large naze, and close plumed ; high thighs with white in 



* Blome's book -was published in the latter end of the seventeenth 

 centmy, and is in my possession. 



