co NATURAL HISTORY OF THE GROUSE 



that the peregrine picks off the weakliest bird of a 

 covey. The statement is not, however, supported by 

 my experience, neither is it in keeping with what we 

 know of the peregrine's character. The fact is, that a 

 high-couraged bird like the falcon disdains to strike 

 an unworthy quarry. She prefers a good chase. A 

 Highland deer-stalker expressed the true view of the 

 case with the naive remark, that ' the falcon is a real 

 sportsman ! ' So she certainly is, and as such she 

 has no stomach for flying sickly grouse. It is my 

 belief that the peregrine, if she selects at all, selects 

 the gamest bird in a covey, and the better the flight 

 afforded by her victim, the keener is the falcon's 

 enjoyment of the sport. 



I am no advocate for exterminating peregrines. 

 On the contrary, I have taken some trouble to afford 

 them protection in the breeding season ; but we can- 

 not expect everybody to see the falcon in a favourable 

 light. One of my friends dissected six peregrines in 

 a spring, all old birds. Five of them had been feed- 

 ing on grouse, the sixth had eaten a wild duck. Of 

 course this did not prove much. The birds were 

 cmite as likely to have contained rock doves or puffins. 

 But the grouse has a strong and vigilant enemy in the 

 falcon, and all that can reasonably be expected of the 

 owners of grouse moors is that they will tolerate the 



