PEEEGELNE. 69 



pairs built within a mile of each other a very unusual cir- 

 cumstance. Tory Island, off Donegal, the Mourne mountains 

 in the county of Down, Bray Head in that of Wicklow, the 

 cliffs over the Killeries in Galway, Bay Lough in Tipperary, 

 the Saltee Islands, Wexford, the Blasquet Islands, Kerry, 

 Ardmore and Dunmore in Waterford, and the sea-coast cliffs 

 of the county of Cork. , 



Whether the Peregrine is partially migratory in this country, 

 seems at present not to have been ascertained. It appears 

 to be thought that the old birds remain about their haunts, 

 while the young ones, after their expulsion from the nest, 

 are compelled to wander about. 



Its flight is extremely rapid, and is doubtless well described 

 by Macgillivray, as strongly resembling that of the Rock 

 Pigeon. It seldom soars or sails after the manner of the 

 Eagles and Buzzards. It does so, indeed, occasionally, but 

 its usual mode of flying is near the ground, with quickly 

 repeated beatings of its wings. Montagu has calculated the 

 rate of its flight at as much as one hundred and fifty miles 

 an hour, and Colonel Thornton, at about sixty miles. An 

 average of one hundred may I think be fairly estimated. 

 Meyer says that it never strikes at prey near the ground, 

 through an instinctive fear of being dashed to pieces ; but the 

 contrary is the fact, its upward sweep preserving it generally 

 from this danger. The recoil, as it were, of the blow which 

 dashes its victim to the earth, overpowers in itself the attraction 

 of gravity, and it rises most gracefully into the air until it has 

 stayed the impetus of its flight. Instances have however been 

 known where both pursuer and pursued have dashed against 

 trees, or even a stone on the ground, in the ardour of pur- 

 suing and being pursued, and each has been either stunned 

 for the time, or killed outright by the violence of the blow. 

 Sometimes, in pursuit of its prey, the Peregrine will 'tower' 

 upwards until both are lost to sight. 



The food of the species before us consists principally of 

 birds, such as the larger and smaller sea-gulls, auks, guillemots, 

 puffins, larks, pigeons, ptarmigans, rooks, jackdaws, woodcocks, 

 landrails, wild geese, partridges, plovers, grouse, curlews, ducks, 

 and even at times the kestrel; but it also feeds on hares, 

 rabbits, rats, and other small quadrupeds; as well as at times 

 on larger ones, such as dogs and cats, and also occasionally 

 on fish. It is said to harass the grey crows, but not to use 

 them for food. Instances have been known of Peregrines 



