178 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



covered a great cluster of house-swallows, thirty, at least, 

 he supposes, perching on a willow that hung over the 

 verge of James Knighfs 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, inde- 

 pendent 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 Woolmer-forest sent me a peregrine 

 alcon, which he shot on the verge of that district as it 

 was devouring a wood-pigeon. The falco peregrinus, or 

 haggard falcon is a noble species of hawk seldom seen in 

 the southern counties. 1 In winter 1767, one was killed in 

 the neighbouring parish of Faringdon, 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 the shot : it 

 measured forty-two inches from wing to wing, and twenty- 

 one from beak to tail, and weighed two pounds and an 

 half standing weight. This species is very robust, and 

 wonderfully formed for rapine ; it's breast was plump and 

 muscular ; it's thighs long, thick, and brawny ; and it's legs 

 remarkably short and well set : the feet were armed with 

 most formidable, sharp, long talons : the eyelids and cere 

 of the bill were yellow : but the irides of the eyes dusky ; 

 the beak was thick and hooked, and of a dark colour, and 

 had a jagged process near the end of the upper mandible 



1 As Professor Newton (Bell's ed., i. p. 253, note), and Mr. Harting (ed. 

 "Selborne," p. 290), have both pointed out, the Peregrine breeds in many of the 

 cliffs of the south coast of England, and doubtless did so in Gilbert White's time. 

 Their numbers have increased of late years. [R. B. S.]. 



2 See my tenth and eleventh letter to that gentleman. [G. W. ] Cf. vol. i. pp. 

 39, 40, 45. [R. B. S.] 



