THE PEREGRINE 101 



nude and rudely lacerated, made the circles : the tiercel shoots out from 

 shore only to be swept away by the the cliff below, mounts above her and 

 incoming tide. joins in the giddy race. Amorously 

 The flight of the peregrine is very inclined he keeps stooping at her play- 

 characteristic and one quite its own. fully, and, to avoid him, she, just as 

 It is an impetuous winnow, varied by he is on her, turns a complete somer- 

 straight, clean glides on motionless sault from side to side. All this is 

 vans. And when dashing along a accomplished at top speed, and is an 

 cliff face, the bird will dive curiously exhibition worth going miles to see. 

 from time to time, but the recovery is Anon they will toy with and caress one 

 effected quick as thought and by no another with their bills in mid-air or 

 means impedes the journey. This tumble sportively in a fashion which 

 rapid winnow then is the normal recalls the raven's frolics. ... It is 

 flight, but at the eyrie and when hunt- worth remarking that the peregrine 

 ing, wonderful aerial evolutions are on flight carries its legs straight out 

 indulged in. Now a pair soar grandly under the tail. Occasionally one is 

 head to wind on extended and rigid dropped loosely, almost as if broken, 

 wing ; now they describe wide, sweep- Except during the breeding season, 

 ing circles, some of the turns being ren- the peregrine is generally solitary, and 

 dered in amazingly majestic fashion, even during that period the non-sit- 

 Or again witness a pair on their aerial ting bird is often long absent. But 

 honeymoon. A stiff gale is raging a sure find for them both in the vicinity 

 this sunny April morn and a pair of of the eyrie is towards sunset, when, 

 peregrines one behind the other before retiring to roost, they usually 

 bent on pleasuring, wing their way indulge in a meal. They seem generally 

 it seems laboriously even to these to hunt alone, and the quarry is fre- 

 mighty creatures full in its teeth for quently devoured where it is made, 

 some distance. Suddenly a turn is Now examine the haunts of the 

 made and down wind they sail like peregrine and you will find that they 

 meteors. Half a mile, a mile, is cov- embrace the wildest and bleakest if 

 ered in seconds, and then up wind once most romantic of scenery ; from the 

 again only to repeat the performance, frowning grandeur of the Highland 

 At other times the falcon, with a fine glen, Welsh cwm or Irish cove to the 

 ringing flight, is careering round in vast majestic contours of the cliffs and 



