82 Bird - Lore 



He would willingly accept food, and ate with dignity. He always insisted on 

 perching on the highest point of an outstretched arm. Because of this, it was 

 easy to seem to send the bird, by word of command, from the wrist to the 

 shoulder, and to the wrist again. Lowering the arm, the Falcon stepped side- 

 ways until the shoulder was gained; and, then elevating the arm, the bird 

 would walk back to the wrist. 



Finally, we felt that our Falcon should have his freedom, so we carried him 

 up to the Palisades and placed him on the cliff's edge. He flew out over and 

 up the river. We watched him until he faded out of sight in the haze hanging 

 over the water. 



Several Falcon couples nest, even today, on the face of the Palisades, 

 particularly near Clinton and Ruckman's Points. For those famihar with the 

 location of a Falcon's nest, it is possible in the breeding-season, by standing 

 on the clilT over one of their regular homes, such as the projection of rock just 

 north of Clinton Point, to see a swift Peregrine dive from the ledge into the air 

 immediately beneath. The bird, wheeling and circling with incredible rapidity, 

 rarely sailing, emits a harsh, frequently repeated call of one note. Promptly 

 the mate seems, since he possesses such speed, to jump into sight out of space, 

 and as the pair circle the female is seen to be the larger. So long as one chooses 

 to remain upon the edge of the Palisades, the two birds may be observed 

 wheeling and shooting about, now out over the river and now close by; they 

 pass with the speed of an arrow, impelled by rapid wing-beats, and at the same 

 time calling loudly. 



When viewed in the natural state and usually at some distance, the dark- 

 colored, pointed wings, shapely body, short squat neck and head, great speed, 

 and general fearlessness, serve to identify this medium-sized bird of the Falcon 

 family. The general configuration of pointed wings, constantly flapping, and 

 short neck, causes a Duck Hawk to simulate a huge Swallow, especially a 

 Tree Swallow. 



Li the spring of 191 1 we visited Clinton Point first on March 5, but did not 

 see a Peregrine. Fearing that too many people now frequent this locality, we 

 made several trips to the more remote Ruckman's Point, where we also failed 

 to find any Falcons. On our second visit to Clinton Point, on March 19, the 

 day raw and snowy, we were greeted by the welcome and familiar sight of 

 a Peregrine diving from a dead, weather-worn cedar-tree, projecting from the 

 face of the cliff. On April 9, the male flew from the cliff to his favorite tree, 

 uttering his call, and sat in full view. While perched, the sound that he made 

 resembled a whistling scream. These birds' solicitude for their nest, as evi- 

 denced by their loud calls, tends to accomplish anything but its concealment. 



This day, looking into a deep horizontal opening half-way up the cliff, the 

 female Falcon was discovered sitting on her nest. We watched her with our 

 glass for some time. The bed upon which she had placed her eggs was bordered 

 in front with green grass and overhung by projecting rocks. Since vegetation 



