264 BRITISH BIRDS. 



went over to the top of the crag, but to our surprise could see 

 no sign of the Peregrines, though on one pinnacle we found the 

 remains of a pigeon, evidently killed within twelve hours, 

 proving that the Falcons were still about, though their non- 

 appearance more than puzzled us. We knew that on this 

 rock there were only three possible nesting-sites, so down we 

 climbed, intending to visit each. On reaching the first we 

 found a perfect " scrape," and to all appearance the birds had 

 been there quite recently. We stood there discussing the 

 situation, when my friend happening to look over the ledge, 

 saw the female Peregrine lying dead on another ledge about 

 twenty feet below us. This ledge was perfectly inaccessible 

 without ropes, but I very much coveted that bird, and the 

 only course seemed to fasten sticks together and try and push 

 her over on to the " scree " about 100 feet below us. My 

 friend volunteered to get some sticks from some small trees in 

 a gully close by, whilst I, lazily inclined, sat back on the ledge. 

 Quite suddenly there was a rush of wings and a tiercel 

 " streaked " in, and actually for a brief moment stood on the 

 ledge within a few feet of where I sat. Seeing me he dashed 

 off and began to wing up in wide circles, and then to my 

 surprise as I watched he was joined by another Peregrine, 

 which by the aid of glasses I made out to be a female, and 

 then for some minutes I was an interested spectator of the 

 tiercel trying to entice what was evidently his new partner to 

 venture nearer to the rock, but with evident shyness (or 

 perhaps coyness) she hung away always up at an immense 

 height. Once again the tiercel dashed in to within about 

 twenty feet of where I sat, but naturally enough he did 

 not repeat his former mistake, and quickly sheered off 

 and rejoined the Falcon, now higher up still, and after a 

 few wide circles they went off, leaving the valley altogether. 

 We then got to work, and after some little difficulty pushed 

 the dead Falcon on to the "scree" below. From all 

 appearances she could not have been dead more than about 

 thirty-six hours. I sent her off at once to be set up, and 

 afterwards on my return home was told that she held an 

 egg almost ready for extrusion. On April 28th the second 

 eyrie on the rock contained a clutch of four exceptionally 

 fine eggs, but these were evidently taken, for on May 20th on 

 visiting the rock again we disturbed the Falcon off the first 

 nesting-site to which we climbed, and found two fresh eggs, 

 and on May 22nd there were three eggs, which subsequent 

 watching 'proved to be the full clutch. 



GWYNNE WlTHERINGTON. 



