8 THE SOUTHERN CLIFFS 



As the glow of sunset faded behind the cliffs, and 

 the moon rose over the sea, the last flocks of cormorants 

 came in from the channel, like rooks returning to roost. 

 Then, as we set the boat's head homewards, a peregrine 

 falcon darted from the cliff, and with rapid beats of the 

 wing made a half-circle over the sea, returning to the 

 crag in Jess than two-thirds of the time taken by a 

 flock of cormorants which took the same course. We 

 did not see the falcon's mate, or the young, as in the 

 case of the raven. But they are said to have haunted 

 the crag during the spring, and there is little doubt 

 that the peregrine, like the raven, has never deserted 

 the eyrie, which it has held for at least three centuries, 

 in the chalk precipices of Culver Cliffs. 



