THe Zootocistr—Aveust, 1876, 5029 
few years. The day was exceedingly bright and hot, and the poor 
little things were in some instances standing bolt upright on the 
ledges of the rocks, in the face of a blazing sun, with their necks 
stretched and mouths wide open, as if gasping for breath, whilst 
others were lying huddled two or three together in niches or fissures 
of the cliff; and a few, on finding they were watched, would imme- 
diately try to conceal themselves behind stones or plants: they 
generally, however, stand or lie perfectly motionless as long as 
the intruder remains. Judging from the number of egg-shells 
lying about on the grassy summit of the cliff, I should say the nests 
had been robbed to some extent, prebably by jackdaws, which 
abound, breeding close by and among the gulls. Directly I arrived 
on the cliffs three peregrine falcons made their appearance, flying 
forward and back, but not very near, and these I at once knew, 
by their comparatively small size, to be young ones of the present 
season. Soon afterwards the old female came up with a rather 
large bird in her talons, upon which the young ones, with loud 
cries, immediately began swooping and dashing at her so furiously, 
in their endeavours to snatch the prey from her grasp, that she 
was compelled to fly across the water to the opposite cliffs, closely 
pursued by her hungry and eager progeny, where no doubt the 
spoil was divided. I also saw the old male peregrine, which flew 
round continually, making a great noise until I left the place. 
I think the alarm-note or cry of the peregrine on being disturbed 
during the breeding season is the most angry and menacing of any 
bird 1 know. On the 20th I again visited Wembury, and found 
the young gulls much grown, but saw only one peregrine, which 
was adult, the three young ones having apparently left the neigh- 
bourhood. I noticed the remains of several young jackdaws on 
the cliffs, which had evidently been torn in pieces by some bird of 
prey, no doubt the peregrine. I also picked up many large pellets 
or castings, which I examined, and found them to consist chiefly 
of rabbits’ fur. A friend informs me that there is another colony of 
herring gulls nesting a few miles further up the coast, which locality 
is also frequented by peregrines, and that he has often seen them 
swoop towards the nests, which the parent gull would immediately 
cover with her wings, in the manner of a domestic fowl. 
Water Ouzel and Kingfisher.— June 21. Observed several 
young water ouzels on the rocks and stones in the Rivers Lydd 
and Tamar: they were as large as the old ones, but with the whole 
SECOND SERIES—VOL. XI. 2Q 
