PEREGRINE-FALCON. 241 



before eight o'clock in the evening, he discovered a great cluster 

 of house-swallows, thirty at least he supposes, perching on a 

 willow that hung over the verge of James Knight's upper-pond. 

 His attention was first drawn by the twittering of these birds, 

 which sat motionless in a row on the bough, with their heads all 

 one way, and, by their weight, pressing down the twig so that 

 it nearly touched the water. In this situation he watched them 

 till he could see no longer. Repeated accounts of this sort, 

 spring and fall, induce us greatly to suspect that house-swallows 

 have some strong attachment to water, independent of the matter 

 of food ; and, though they may not retire into that element, yet 

 they may conceal themselves in the banks of pools and rivers 

 during the uncomfortable months of winter. 



One of the keepers of Wolmer-forest sent me a peregrine- 



falcon, which he shot on the verge of that district as it was de- 

 vouring a wood-pigeon. Thefalcoperegrinus, or haggard falcon, 

 is a noble species of hawk seldom seem in the southern counties. 

 In winter 1/67 one was killed in the neighbouring parish of 

 Farringdon, and sent by me to Mr. Pennant into North Wales.* 

 Since that time I have met with none till now. The specimen 

 mentioned above was in fine preservation, and not injured by 



nidification ; but differs in being one of the latest to arrive of all our summer birds of passage, 

 whence probably it is, generally speaking, so little known. It is seldom heard much before the 

 beginning of May, but does not, as has been said, depart earlier than its congeners. Its eggs are 

 of a grayer tinge than those of the blackcap. En. 



* See my tenth and eleventh letter to that gentleman. 



