Robbers of the Air 



adequately long piece of string. Thus armed he stood 

 on the edge of the cliff and lowered the ball of wool 

 steadily down the perpendicular face of the rock. No 

 sooner did it touch a chick than the angry bird rolled 

 over on its back and viciously struck its sharp claws into 

 the object of its resentment. Unable to extricate them 

 again the unfortunate creature was hauled upside down 

 and entirely helpless to the top of the precipice. In this 

 ingenious manner each member of the family was 

 captured. 



This bold buccaneer of the air invariably strikes its 

 prey in mid-air and not infrequently decapitates the 

 victim of its furious onslaught. 



A Highland gamekeeper told me that whilst watch- 

 ing through his telescope a peregrine at rest on a large 

 stone a meddlesome hoody crow appeared upon the 

 scene and began to make vicious swoops at the falcon. 

 Time after time the peregrine crouched low in order to 

 avoid being struck by its impudent tormentor, until the 

 limit of dignified endurance had been reached, when it 

 rose swiftly into the air and gave chase. This only 

 lasted a matter of moments, and ended in the grey crow 

 tumbling headless to the ground and the reeker of 

 vengeance returning quietly to complete its afternoon 

 siesta on the rock. I once watched at comparatively 

 close range a courageous and altogether foolish carrion 

 crow attempt to drive a peregrine away from the neigh- 

 bourhood of a little wood in which he had a sable mate 

 sitting on a clutch of eggs. For a while the falcon 

 appeared to regard the chivvying he received with good- 

 Si 



