292 



NATURAL HISTORY 



measured forty- two inches from wing to wing, and twenty-one 

 from beak to tail, and weighed two pounds and a half standing 

 weight. This species is very robust, and wonderfully formed 

 for rapine : its breast was plump and muscular \ its thighs 

 long, thick, and brawny ; and its legs remarkably short and 

 well set : the feet were armed with most formidable, sharp, 

 long talons : the eyelids and cere of the bill were yellow, 

 but the irides of the eyes dusky ; the beak was thick and 

 hooked, and of a dark colour, and had a jagged process near 



PEREGRINE FALCON. 



the end of the upper mandible on each side: its tail, or 

 train, was short in proportion to the bulk of its body : yet 

 the wings, when closed, did not extend to the end of the 

 train. From its large and fair proportions it might be sup- 

 posed to have been a female ; but I was not permitted to 

 cut open the specimen. For one of the birds of prey, which 

 are usually lean, this was in high case : in its craw were 

 many barleycorns, which probably came from the crop of 

 the wood pigeon, on which it was feeding when shot : for 

 voracious birds do not eat grain ; but, when devouring their 

 quarry, with undistinguishing vehemence swallow bones 



