THE PEREGRINE FALCON. 



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direction for its expected prey, as soon as the hood is removed from its eyes. Lastly, the 

 teacher mounts on horseback, and holding in his hand a long string, the other end of which is 

 attached to the skin, he darts off at full gallop, so that the Falcon is forced to put out its best 

 speed before it can overtake the horse or pounce on the skin as it liies leaping and striking 

 along the ground. On the first two or three days, the Falcon is almost quite breathless when 

 it has overtaken the horse, and sits panting, with open beak, upon the skin : but in a week or 

 so, it becomes much stronger, and is not in the least distressed by its severe chase. 



To teach the bird to pounce upon herons, buzzards, kites, or other winged prey, a stuffed 

 skin is employed after much the same fashion that is followed with, the hare skin. Instead, 

 however, of being dragged along the ground, the skin is flung into the air. and the bird 

 encouraged to pounce upon it before it reaches the ground. In all cases the attendants keep 

 up a great noise and shouting as soon as the Falcon begins to feed, in older to accustom the 

 bird to the uproar which is the inevitable concomitant of the chase. Horses and dogs are then 

 brought close to the feeding bird, and the dogs are encouraged to break out in full cry. 



When the bird has become sufficiently docile to recognize its keeper and to know his 

 voice, it is then instructed to come to his hand when called. This accomplishment is taught 

 by means of a "lure" 1 and a whistle. The lure is a gaudy apparatus of feathers and leather, 

 on which is placed a small piece of some special dainty. The Falcon is encouraged to jump 

 on the lure and devour the food, the whistle being blown continually while the bird is eating. 

 Next day the teacher stands at a few yards' distance from his pupil, blows the whistle, exhibits 

 the lure, and permits the bird to make its little feast. In a very short time the sound of the 

 whistle attracts the attention of the Falcon, which immediately looks around for the lure and 

 sets upon it at once. When the huntsman takes the field, the lure is attached to a leathern 

 strap, and slung to the side of the horse, so that whenever a flying Falcon is to be recalled, the 

 huntsman whistles sharply in order to attract the bird's attention, and at the same time swings 

 the lure round his head, so as to render it more visible to the bird. 



This process of training, of which a very slight and rapid sketch has been given, occupies 

 from six weeks to two months, whereas that of the peregrine, goshawk, or merlin only requires 

 some fifteen or twenty days. Even when the whole series of instructions has been completed, 

 its ultimate success is very dubious, for it sometimes happens that when the bird finds itself 

 wholly at liberty for the first time, it forgets all its teaching, and. heedless of lure or whistle, 

 flies exultingly to its rocky home. 



The color of the adult Jerfalcon is nearly white, being purely white on the under surface 

 and flecked with narrow transverse bars of grayish-brown upon the upper parts. The sharp 

 claws are black, the beak of a bluish-tint, and the cere, tarsus, and toes yellow. When young, 

 however, the bird presents a very different aspect, and would hardly be recognized as belonging 

 to the same species. In its earlier stages of life it is almost wholly of a grayish-brown tint, the 

 feathers being slightly marked with a little white upon their edges. As the bird increases in 

 age the white edges become wider, and by degrees the entire feather is of a. snowy whiteness. 

 The name Jerfalcon is supposed to be a corruption of " Geyer-falcon," or Vulture Falcon. 



The Gerfalcon {Falco gerfalco), a most noble bird, is native in Greenland and the conti- 

 nent above Hudson's Bay. It breeds in the latter region. It is also found in all other circum- 

 polar localities. 



Two distinct varieties are recognized. One being quite white, much like the snowy owl. 

 The other has a bluish tinted plumage, with large transverse bands of plumbeous color. 

 Specimens are occasionally taken in New England. This bird is among a few that are regarded 

 as destined soon to be reduced well nigh to extinction. It is now very rare, and specimens 

 are held as valuable acquisitions to cabinets. The Central Park Museum has six superb 

 specimens, including three varieties. One is the McFarlane bird — variety sacer. They usually 

 build near the breeding places of sea fowl, upon which they prey. 



Less powerful, but more graceful than the Jerfalcon, the Peregrine Falcon has ever 

 held the first place among the hawks that are trained for the chase. 



The temper of the latter bird is incomparably more docile than that of the former, the 



Vol. II.— 8. 



