VOL. vm.] NOTES. 119 



DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEREGRINE FALCONS. 



As there are some vexed questions regarding the incubation 

 of the Peregrine Falcon {Falco p. peregrinus) which still 

 remam to be answered to the satisfaction of all, the following 

 observations may be of value. 



According to my experience the Falcon begins to sit 

 before the full clutch is laid, and, although the young 

 Falcons may grow more quickly than the young Tiercels, 

 evidence as to the date of hatching can still be obtained 

 from the development of the young, development not being 

 the same as size. 



On June 15th, 1914, I visited an eyrie containing two 

 young about three weeks old. The birds showed consider- 

 able difference in size and the smaller bird was far the most 

 fulty feathered, while its voice was higher in pitch. The 

 difference in the voices of the two young was roughly the 

 same as in the case of the adult Falcon and Tiercel. On 

 June 21st I went to the eyrie with a friend. The difference 

 in size was even more evident, but still the smaller was 

 more fully developed ; its feathering was practically com- 

 plete : the larger had a quantity of down adhering to the 

 feathers, while the smaller bird showed none. The difference 

 in voice was so striking that we could either of us say 

 which bird it was that was calling, without looking. From 

 voice and size we concluded that the smaller bird was a 

 young male, and from its development we concluded that 

 it had been hatched before the other. Douglas A. Scott. 



FOOD OF SPARROW-HAWKS. 



I HAVE read Dr. Penrose's note on the Sparrow-Hawk's 

 method of feeding its young {antea, p. 98) with great interest, 

 and his observations on the nature of the food entirely 

 corroborate my own. I know these birds are classed as 

 " vermin " of the worst kind by most keepers, but I am 

 beginning to wonder if they ever do any real damage. Not 

 many years ago we had a nest about half a mile from the 

 field on which we were rearing upwards of three thousand 

 Pheasants. The keepers had instructions not to molest 

 the Hawks unless caught red-handed. They passed over 

 the coops day after day, caught numerous young Sparrows, 

 but never once touched a young Pheasant. The eggs were 

 allowed to hatch, and the young flew in peace. In my 

 experience, a Kestrel, when she takes to the coops, avlU do 

 far more harm than any Sparrow-Hawk. The same season 

 as the incident recorded above, a Kestrel took over fifty 



