70 Falconidce. 



much more scarce, at least in North Wilts, as I know by my own 

 experience, and it is now quite a rare thing with me to see a 

 Peregrine on our downs. The Rev. A. P. Moires is more fortu- 

 nate in the south of the county, for he says that for the last 

 fifteen years or so, not a year has passed without his having 

 noticed it once or twice in that immediate district, and he adds, 

 and doubtless with good reason, that the lofty spire of the 

 cathedral, round which he has seen four Peregrines soaring at one 

 time, offered an irresistible attraction as a secure resting-place, 

 whither it would carry its prey to devour it without fear of intru- 

 sion ; and where it is stoutly affirmed by some, though denied by 

 others, that it has been known to nest Lord Pembroke was so 

 good as to inform me that a year or two ago, when the Peregrine 

 Falcons were building on the spire of Salisbury Cathedral, one of 

 his keepers more than once saw them attack the herons; the 

 heron, at least on one of these occasions, dropped on to the 

 ground, and there stood at its full height, with its beak pointing 

 straight upwards, like a large spike, and the falcons, not daring to 

 touch him in that position, swooped down to the ground on one 

 side of him. Probably the heron was pretty close to the ground 

 when so attacked, and was able to get down to the earth before 

 the falcons could stoop; but on no occasion did the keeper 

 see the falcons succeed in killing a heron. His lordship adds 

 that he has been assured by an old servant on the estate, that 

 before his time Peregrine Falcons used to build in the park at 

 Wilton, until they were at length driven away by the ravens. 



Though certainly become far more scarce than it was thirty 

 years ago, I should mislead if I were to imply that it is by any 

 means a rare bird in Wiltshire even now. Indeed, with such an 

 array of occurrences as I have now lying before me, and from 

 almost all parts of the county, I cannot call it rare, though it is 

 to be remembered that every appearance of this noble bird makes 

 an impression on the observer which he does not readily forget, 

 and is generally chronicled by somebody. Thus, to take a selec- 

 tion from various districts : The Rev. G. Powell informed me 

 that he had obtained a magnificent specimen on January 21st, 



