146 THE FALCONS 



though a measure of forbearance has, during recent years, been 

 extended to the kestrel. 



Of the habits during courtship, the period of incubation, and the 

 care of the young, our knowledge is, as usual, of the most meagre 

 and scrappy description. I am therefore the more indebted to 

 Dr. Heatherly for the loan of valuable MS. notes of his, setting forth 

 the results of some laborious days he devoted to observations on 

 a peregrine's eyrie in Cheshire. Dr. Heatherly has done for the 

 peregrine what Messrs. Macpherson and Campbell have done for the 

 golden-eagle. 



The particular eyrie which formed the subject of these notes was 

 lodged twenty feet from the top of a granite cliff about a hundred feet 

 high. The eyrie occupied a space of about a yard square, and was 

 protected from above by overhanging ledges, and from below by 

 a sheer precipice. Here, on May 27, he found four young, two males 

 and two females. These were already some days old at the time these 

 observations began, and feathers were just showing on the wings. 

 When first visited they were found crowded together under the ledge 

 to the right of the eyrie, in an apparent endeavour to hide from the 

 intruders. On being dragged forth to be photographed they displayed 

 great resentment, hissing and snapping, and turning over on their 

 backs in order to use the feet as weapons of offence. Nor were they 

 silent during this time, and their yelps were answered by angry cries 

 from the parents of " aitch, aitch, ditch." 



This demonstration of parental solicitude is the more interest- 

 ing because of the contrast in behaviour displayed in like case of 

 the golden-eagle. But neither Mr. Macpherson nor Mr. Cameron, 

 it must be remembered, ever touched the young, or compelled them 

 to cry out, and wring forth answering cries from the parent. One may, 

 however, be fairly certain that the old birds would have given tongue 

 in any case on detecting the presence of its arch enemy, man, so near 

 its nursery, for the peregrine is by nature more vociferous than the 

 eagle, as is shown by the manner in which they wheel round and 



