THE PEREGEINE FALCON. Gil 



of these birds having escaped from the falconry of Henri II., it 

 is said that it performed the whole distance from Fontainebleau to 

 Malta in one day, over three hundred leagues. It hovers in the 

 air with graceful facility, and when it marks a victim, darts upon 

 it with extraordinary rapidity, courage, and ferocity. 



The Falcon feeds principally on aquatic birds, Pigeons, 

 Partridges, and Larks. So great is its courage that it has 

 been known to pursue the latter into the nets of the bird- 

 catcher. If compelled, it will eat dead fish, as was observed by 

 Audubon on the banks of the Mississippi ; but this latter cir- 

 cumstance is excessively rare. This bird possesses little dread of 

 man, for it sometimes has the audacity to swoop upon the game 

 which the sportsman has killed, and not unfrequently succeeds 

 in carrying it off. One of these birds established itself, some 

 years ago, on the towers of Notre-Dame, in Paris, and every day 

 captured several of the tame Pigeons which fly at liberty in the 

 city. This continued for a month, and was only put a stop to 

 by the proprietors of the Pigeons keeping their pets shut up. 

 Thus deprived of its means of existence, the Falcon soon dis- 

 appeared. 



Notwithstanding the magnificent powers of flight of the Pere- 

 grine Falcon, it is not always successful in its forays. Naumann 

 narrates that he saw a Pigeon pursued by one of these destroyers 

 throw itself into a lake, dive down, and shortly after emerge 

 in another part, thus baffling its enemy. When a Pigeon is 

 harassed by a Falcon it endeavours to mount above its enemy ; 

 if it succeeds in this it is saved, for the Falcon becomes fatigued, 

 and gives up the pursuit. 



Large Havens are inveterate enemies of the Peregrine Falcon. 

 They have frequent fights, in which the former sometimes prove 

 the conquerors. A Raven has been known to break the skull of 

 a Falcon with a blow of its bill. 



The Falcon is gifted with a more remarkable degree of longevity 

 than even the Eagle. It is reported that in 1797, at the Cape 

 of Good Hope, a Falcon was caught which showed no signs of 

 decrepitude, and which had on a golden collar with an inscription 

 stating that in 1610 it belonged to James I., King of England ; it 

 was therefore over one hundred and eighty-seven years old. 



RR2 



