72 THE PEREGEINE FALCON AND WOODCOCK. 



alone. Mr. Thompson relates several anecdotes wliicli bear strongly upon tlie game- 

 destroying propensities of the Peregrine Falcon. 



" Mr. Sinclaire, many years ago, while exercising his dogs on the Belfast mountains, 

 towards the end of July, preparatory to grouse-shooting, saw them point, and coming up, 

 startled a male Peregrine Falcon off a grouse {Tetrao Scoticus) just killed by him, and very 

 near the same place came upon the female bird, also upon a grouse. Although my friend 

 lifted both the dead birds, the hawks continued flying about, and on the remainder of the 

 pack which lay near being sprung, either three or four more grouse were struck down by 

 them. Thus, two and a half or three brace were obtained by means of these wild birds, 

 being more than had ever been procured out of a pack of grouse by my friend's trained 

 falcons. The same gentleman has frequently, when out shooting, obtained a single grouse 

 which has been killed by wild Peregrine Falcons, but, except in the above instance, never 

 more than one. 



Another friend, walking in Devis mountain, near Belfast, on the first of September, 

 1832, saw one of these birds pursue a couple of grouse for some distance without success, 

 and subsequently kill a snipe high in the air, after a good chase. A sportsman states 

 that woodcocks shot by him in the south of Ireland have more than once been pounced 

 upon and carried off by wild Peregrine Falcons before they reach the ground." The same 

 writer mentions that the Peregrine Falcons would often follow the sportsmen in spite of 

 the flash and report of their guns, and would boldly carry off the birds that were struck 

 by the shot. The eagles which inhabited the same locality were much less courageous, 

 and used to fly away at the first discharge. 



The Peregrine Falcon appears to be very discriminating in its tastes, preferring birds 

 to all other prey, and generally choosing those very species which mankind has 

 acknowledged to be delicacies for the table. Grouse, as has already been seen, are a 

 favourite quarry of the Peregrine, and the bird is also very fond of partridges, snipes, and 

 woodcocks. In the chase of the last-mentioned bird, the Peregrine disj)lays the greatest 

 imaginable command of wing, for it will follow the " cock " into its place of refuge among 

 the branches, and in many cases will carry it off without even touching one of the boughs 

 among which the woodcock shoots and twists with such singular celerity. 



Sometimes, however, both the pursuer and the pursued have suffered severe injuries 

 from their too heedless flight, a misfortune of which Mr. Thompson mentions several 

 instances. In one case the woodcock and Falcon shot through the drooping branches of 

 a weeping-ash tree, and, striking against the stem, both fell stunned to the ground. The 

 woodcock was the first to show signs of life, and after waiting for a short time, scrambled 

 to the bank of a neighbouring glen, and was permitted to escape. The Falcon was longer 

 in reviving, and when picked up was bleeding at the mouth ; she, however, shortly 

 recovered. On another occasion the hawk and woodcock came against a large stone, the 

 latter being disabled, but the former suffering but little injury. The force with which 

 the terrified bird flies from its pursuer may be imagined from the fact that one of these 

 birds, when endeavouring to escape from a Falcon, struck against the top of a wall with 

 such violence as to split its breast completely open. 



The same author relates some curious incidents relative to the comparative powers of 

 flight of the Falcon and woodcock. " The finest flights are those in which the bird 'climbs 

 the air.' Once, when from fifty to sixty persons were present, a woodcock sprung near 

 Andersson's town in the Falls, climbed the air, and the hawk swept after him until both 

 got out of sight of all persons present except one, who insisted that the quarry was 

 captured : it soon proved so, by the hawk's coming down with its victim. The trial 

 between the birds, which should be highest, was so well contested from the moment the 

 woodcock sprung and went right up, that the issue was most eagerly looked to ; numerous 

 even bets depended on it. Again, at the head of Colin Glen, in the same district, a wood- 

 cock, pursued by one of the hawks, climbed until both were lost to view. The death of the 

 woodcock was, however, soon announced by its rapidly falling through the air, until soused 

 in the deep pool of the roclcy river, called, from the peculiar sound its waters make, the 

 Eumbling Burn. It was observed on laying hold of the victim, that it had been struck in 

 the back by the hawk, but not laid hold of, which accounted for its coming down singly." 



