THE PEREGRINE FALCON 



tempt it to visit such places in its annual wanderings. 

 This bird is excelled by few other Raptores in the wild, 

 swift swoop with which it strikes itsprey,its long, pointed 

 wings giving it a superb supremacy in the air. It captures 

 the various Game Birds, besides Ducks and Waterfowl 

 of all kinds, Pigeons and rabbits, with almost matchless 

 daring and dash. The bird probably pairs for life, re- 

 turning each year to one particular place, and often 

 selecting for its purpose some cliffs which teem with Sea- 

 birds. Here, in April, on some narrow ledge or in a fissure, 

 the three or four eggs are deposited in a slight depres- 

 sion, with little or no nest beyond the refuse of the bird's 

 food. These eggs are dull white in ground colour, which, 

 however, is mostly hidden by the profusion of reddish 

 brown markings. As a rule the Peregrine is silent, but 

 when its nest is disturbed it utters a most persistent 

 chattering cry. When the young are reared the more or 

 less wandering life is resumed, and the offspring rarely 

 if ever remain in the locality of their birth. In all cases 

 the Peregrine prefers an open haunt. It shows no liking 

 for woods, choosing the breezy moors and uplands, from 

 which a wide survey of country can be made, and where 

 from some lofty perch it can start forth in quest of prey. 

 Although the sexes of the Peregrine are practically alike 

 in colour, the cock bird is considerably smaller than the 

 hen. The upper parts are dark slate-grey, becoming 

 black on the head, and two moustachial lines extending 

 from the gape down the sides of the throat ; the under 

 surface is buffish white, spotted on the throat and breast 

 and barred on the remainder with black. Immature 

 birds are brown above, each feather with a rufous margin, 

 and the under parts are streaked rather than spotted. 

 In adults the cere and eyelids are yellow, in the young 

 slate-grey. Bill dark horn-colour ; tarsi and toes yellow ; 

 irides dark brown. Length of adult male about 15 inches ; 

 female 17 or 18 inches. 



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