Peregrine Falcon. 71 



1862, which was killed at Kingston Deverell; Mr. Grant, in 

 January, 1872, reports that a pair had been observed at Avebury 

 and Beckhampton, attracted by large numbers of pigeons which 

 frequented the farms there, and that one was shot by Mr. Went- 

 worth, a fine old female, nineteen inches in length, and measuring 

 three feet six inches across the wings. In the same year, 1872, 

 early in March, one was killed at Collingbourne, as I was informed 

 by the Rev. T. A. Preston. Major Heneage possesses a specimen 

 shot at Compton Basset t, in 1866. Lord Nelson mentions one in 

 his possession killed at Trafalgar. Mr. Morrison's keeper reports 

 several killed at Fonthill. Lord Arundell writes me word that 

 they are not unfrequently seen and have been killed at Wardour. 

 'The Marlborough College Natural History' Reports speak of it as 

 taken in that district in 1870, 1876, and 1878. Mr. G. Watson 

 Taylor tells me it visits Erlestoke, and the last reference to it in 

 my note- book is of a pair seen by Mr. A. B. Fisher, of Potterne, 

 on the downs at Horton, in December, 1885. But to sum up all, 

 Mr. Grant has furnished me with a list of no less than thirty-five 

 specimens which have been sent to him within the last twenty- 

 four years for preservation, a small portion of which were killed 

 in parishes of North Wilts, at Seend, Poulshot, Avebury, Alton 

 Barnes, Stowell, etc., but by far the largest portion from Salisbury 

 Plain and the villages below it ; no less than nine having come 

 from Amesbury, five from Erlestoke, four from Lavington, and 

 others from Shrewton, Chitterne, Tilshead, Erchfont, Netheravon, 

 etc., proving, as I said above, that this species is far more 

 common in South than in North Wilts. 



The boldness of the peregrine is so great, that it will wait upon 

 the sportsman, and no sooner has he sprung a covey of birds 

 than down comes the Falcon, despite the shooter and his dogs, 

 singles out a partridge for herself, fells it to the earth with one 

 deadly stroke of the foot, and bears it off in triumph ; a ma- 

 nceuvre which she will repeat day after day, and frequently more 

 than once in a day. Mr. Stratton tells me that he has himself 

 witnessed this, and Mr. Selby gives a pleasing account of it in his 

 ' Illustrations of British Ornithology,' as does Mr. Knox very fully 



