142 TEREGRTNE FALCON. 



doubt that their constant morning and evening 

 visits proceeded merely from the powerful necessity 

 of satisfying their physical demands of food, and 

 their ignorance of the means which nature had 

 given them of providing it for themselves. Whether 

 it was that they had received this instruction from 

 a fourth Falcon, which joined their company for 

 some days, or whether the time was arrived in 

 which their natural instinct began to develope 

 itself and render them industrious, they no longer 

 appeared at the windows, even when earnestly 

 called. They still however retained so much of 

 their early attachments as to come and roost on 

 their accustomed oak; but, after a certain time, 

 even this faint appearance of familiarity was gra- 

 dually lost, and they betook themselves to the 

 natural habits of their wild kindred. So true is it, 

 adds Spallanzani, that among the inferior animals, 

 Nature never loses her ancient rights ! 



The above Falcons were about the size of a Biset 

 Pigeon, but with much longer wings, which, when 

 the bird was sitting, passed beneath and crossed 

 the tip of the tail. They delighted in flying to a 

 vast height, and remaining, like kites, for hours 

 together, in the airy space; flying against the 

 wind. Spallanzani does not pretend to determine 

 their true species, but gives the following descrip- 

 tive character, Falco cera rostroque ccerulescenti- 

 bus, pedibus nudisjlavis, collariflavo-cinereo macuils 

 duabus mgris, corpore supra fusco, rectricibus supra 

 ferrugineis apicc flarco pallidis. To this he adds 

 the following more detailed description, viz. The 



