9312 Birds. 
of danger, and several times came so near me that I could easily have 
reached it with a coach-whip. It appeared to be an old bird in mag- 
nificent plumage, and it may easily be imagined how deeply I regretted 
that my gun was a couple of miles beyond my reach. Although pere- 
grines are neither so bold nor so numerous as they were formerly, they 
still visit the houses and commit some considerable havoc among the 
poultry and the tame pigeous, but as they pay their visits very early 
in the morning they are seldom caught in the act. This bird requires — 
a heavy shot. I have known it sail away after having received the 
full benefit of a charge of No. 4 fairly in the breast, at the distance of 
little more than thirty yards, and with sufficient force to knock out 
many of the} feathers. It is a very common thing to see a peregrine 
sitting upon a wall near a farm, or upon one of those large isolated 
stones which lie scattered so abundantly over the hills, but I never 
knew this bird shot under such circumstances, except once, when it 
happened to be gorged with snow buntings, and I ran up within shot 
before it could get away. In my ignorance of the ways of the bird, 
I used to be sadly tantalized. I would see one sitting upon a large 
stone, and, there being no cover, would walk rapidly up, all prepared for 
a shot. It was not often that I was allowed to get within range, but 
when, upon rare occasions, I succeeded in doing so, I would stop sud- 
denly, certain either of a sitting shot or of a chance as the bird rose 5 
but the result was always the same,—no matter how quick I was,— 
the very second that I stopped the provoking bird dropped over to the 
opposite side of the stone and skimmed along the ground, not to 
reappear until long out of shot. The merlin has the same habit. 
Arctie Tern.—Although the arctic tern usually commences laying 
about the 14th of June, I did not see any eggs this season before the 
4th of July. This species breeds abundantly upon most of the small 
retired holms, as well as upon many of the larger islands. They usually 
breed in company, and the moment an intruder appears the whole of 
the birds rise, and hovering above his head, uttering their well-known 
cries, never cease these tokens of displeasure until he has quite left the 
spot. Some years ago I was in the island of Hunie, when a hooded 
crow paid a visit to the breeding-ground there, with what intention I 
know not, unless he felt himself unable to resist the attractions offered 
by the eggs and young birds. Instantly the whole body of terns arose, 
and assailed him so determinedly that he was glad to make off with 
all possible speed for the opposite shore. But his retreat was not con- 
sidered sufficient, and the angry little terns followed him like a swarm 
of bees, even after he had left the island. Oue made a dash at him, 
