22 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



their opportunities, keepers are not to be depended 

 upon for the identification of a species. 



I know few more beautiful sights than to watch the 

 flight of this noble bird, especially when it is in the 

 pursuit of its prey. Slowly winging its way on high, 

 as though in the mere enjoyment of its leisure, its keen 

 eye marks a mallard rise from the rushy stream, or a 

 wood pigeon from the stubble, and instantly the graceful 

 curves of its flight are arrested, and with quick strokes 

 of the wing it rushes with the speed of an arrow in 

 pursuit of its destined victim. Woe betide the unfor- 

 tunate quarry, for its chances of escape are small ; even 

 the rapid flight of the woodpigeon avails nothing against 

 the headlong rush of the peregrine. In a few moments 

 the distance between the pursuer and the pursued is 

 fatally diminished, when, with a velocity of which it is 

 almost difficult to conceive of the flight of a bird unless 

 witnessed, it swoops upon its victim, dashing it to the 

 ground with a stroke of its formidable hind claw, and 

 immediately rising obliquely in the air it checks the 

 impetus of its course, and then returns to pick up its 

 prey. 



What is the maximum speed of the peregrine's flight ? 

 On this point I was appealed to by the gentleman who, 

 under the pseudonym of " Peregrine/' has written much 

 on the ancient sport of falconry in the columns of The 

 Field, and who is one of our best authorities on the 

 subject. After admitting that the best estimate must of 

 necessity be but an approximation, I expressed my belief 

 that the actual speed attained by this noble bird during 

 the death rush was at the rate of 150 miles an hour! Many 

 who have not witnessed it, may be incredulous as to any 

 bird flying with such velocity, but " Peregrine's " long 



