104 THE BOOK OF THE OPEN AIR 



the falcon, who soon joins him, taking cases the non-sitting bird is absent, 



up the cry in a somewhat different key, and then the incubating one must be 



and though both are sufficiently bold aroused from her duties either by 



they seldom venture within gunshot, shouting, firing a revolver, or clapping 



The peregrine's scream is unmistak- vigorously. A variety of courses may 



able a wild, piercing, angry cry, re- then be adopted. I have known a 



sembling, to my ear, a cross between sitting peregrine dash straight out to 



the quack of a duck (hence, perhaps, sea not to return at all whilst I stormed 



the local name " duck hawk ") and the her citadel. Or again, the bird will 



clucking of a harsh-throated hen and hang head to wind and never utter a 



sounding like the syllable " kwark '' sound, whilst frequently the absentee 



ofttimes and quickly reiterated. The will not put in an appearance at all. 



tiercel's is rather different and suggests But most peregrines are habitually noisy 



the word " krark." The peregrine has and dash up and down along the cliff 



besides three other cries : one which with strikingly rapid flight, ever and 



often preludes the above scream a anon making wide detours out over 



long-drawn whining " kee-ark," the the sea or, in the case of an inland 



second a short, sharp "kek," and the resort, round the valley, 

 third, chiefly confined to the autumn And besides human beings, the pere- 



and winter, a low, iterated, chittering grine resents the propinquity of several 



or squeaking sound, something like birds worthy of its steel. The raven in 



that of young falcons whilst still in particular it detests and the eagle is 



the eyrie and resembling to a certain another honoured foe. But one and 



extent one cry of the kestrels : thus all bow to its superior prowess. On 



"hek herrek kerrech." All these one occasion I witnessed a fight in grim 



cries are usually uttered on the wing, earnest where both birds grappled 



But out of the breeding season this between the falcon of an eyrie hard by 



species is practically mute, though I and a marauding tiercel. The attack 



have repeatedly heard the "kwark" was delivered high in air and both 



call long ere an egg was laid. The combatants fell a hundred feet or 



earliest personal record I possess is more, the falcon's talons locked in 



February 26 ; the latest October 26. the tiercel's breast. From below it is 



But to return to the peregrine's be- a glorious sight to watch a peregrine 



haviour at the eyrie. ... In other leave her eyrie. She launches or flings 



