PEREGRINE FALCON. 



401 



greater power of wing ; and will continue in pursuit of them 

 for many miles. Its forward flight is estimated to be usually 

 at the rate of about 

 60 miles an hour ; 

 but its rush or stoop 

 is probably at least 

 twice as rapid as 

 this. An instance 

 is on record, in which 

 a Falcon traversed 

 the distance between 

 Fontainebleau and 

 Malta, not less than 

 1350 miles, in 

 twenty-four hours ; 

 in this case, sup- 

 posing it to have 

 been on the wing 

 the whole time, its 

 rate of flight must 

 have been nearly 60 miles an hour ; but, as Falcons do 

 not fly by night, it was probably not more than 16 or 

 18 hours on the wing, and its rate must have therefore been 

 70 or 80 miles an hour. Of all the prey at which the 

 Peregrine flies, the Heron appears the most difficult for it to 

 master. This arises, in great measure, from the height at 

 which the Heron flies ; which renders it very difficult for the 

 Falcon to rise above him, or " get the sky of him ; " so that, 

 as Falcons can do little or nothing to a Bird above them, the 

 Heron is in perfect safety, as long as he can keep uppermost. 

 Moreover, the Heron can ascend as rapidly with the wind, as 

 the Falcon can do against it ; and thus, during his ascent, he 

 increases his distance from his enemy. Two Falcons are gene- 

 rally sent up in pursuit of the Heron, when both strive their 

 utmost to get above him, and on succeeding in this, immediately 

 stoop upon their quarry. The Heron, however, usually contrives 

 to evade these attacks several times ; but as soon as one of the 



DD 



Fio. 20y. PKREGRINK 



