BIRDS OF PREY. 



307 



at the appearance of one of these redoubtable enemies that it fell as though dead to the ground, and 

 only ventured to open its eyes and give signs of life some little time after he had taken it in his hand. 

 Occasionally, if hotly pursued and other means of escape appear impossible, Larks will seek refuge and 

 hide themselves near the protecting feet of the ploughman or of horses, as they wend their way about 

 the fields. Swallows endeavour to save themselves by uniting into flocks, and whirling at a respectful 

 distance above the heads of their dread pursuers. The Tree Falcons will also catch insects when upon 

 the wing, and devour large numbers of grasshoppers, dragon-flies, and ants during the whole time that 

 the latter are engaged in swarming. 



The eyrie is usually built upon a high tree, and resembles those of other Falcons as regards its 

 exterior, but the interior is lined with wool, hair, or some other soft and elastic material. The eggs 

 are laid in July, and are from three to five in number, and of a greyish white or greenish colour, 

 covered with light reddish-brown spots, which are most thickly distributed over the broad end. Lenz 

 tells us that one Tree Falcon will destroy no fewer than 1,095 small birds annually. This species was 

 formerly trained for hunting purposes, and is, when domesticated, one of the most intelligent and 

 docile of its family. 



THE BERIGORA. 



The Berigora (Jeracidea Berigora) is the most remarkable among the many birds of prey inhabit- 

 ing New Holland, and constitutes, as it were, a connecting link between the Noble Falcons and the 

 next group. The Berigora possesses the general shape and beak of the Falcons already described, 

 but is distinguished from them by the inferior strength of its wings, in which the third quill is longer 

 than the rest, as well as by the length and slender formation of the tarsi, and toes furnished with claws 

 of no great strength. The length of the male is about sixteen inches, the female is somewhat larger, 

 but exactly resembles her mate in the colour of her plumage. The feathers upon the top of the head 

 are reddish brown, with fine black streaks upon the shafts ; the middle of the back is reddish brown, 

 the shoulders, wing-covers, and tail-feathers are brown, edged and spotted with a reddish shade ; the 

 throat, breast, middle of the belly, and lower wing-covers are pale fawn colour, with a delicate brown 

 line passing along each side of the shaft ; the feathers that cover the sides are reddish brown, 

 surrounded by a border of yellowish-white spots ; the hose are brown, spotted with red ; the secondary 

 quills are blackish brown, marked upon the inner web with large fawn-coloured patches. The Cere 

 and eye-rings are light blue, the beak lead colour at its base and black at the tip ; the eyes are of very 

 deep brown. 



The Berigora is met with throughout the whole of Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales, 

 where it lives in large flocks, except during the period of incubation, when each pair dwells apart from 

 the rest. The food of this species consists principally of reptiles and insects, but it will also devour 

 small birds and quadrupeds, and by no means despises carrion. The settlers regard these birds with 

 great disfavour, on account of the number of young Chickens they manage to abstract from the farm- 

 yards, and seem entirely to overlook the many and great services they render by the destruction of 

 enormous numbers of insects and caterpillars. The eyrie is built near the summit of the highest 

 gum-trees, and the eggs, which are laid about October and November, differ so considerably in their 

 hues that two of a brood are seldom alike ; various shades of whitish fawn-colour, spotted with pale 

 reddish brown, usually predominate. 



The KESTRELS (Tihnunculus) form a group that stands next in order to the True Falcons, 

 from which they are distinguished by the inferiority of their destructive powers. They all resemble 

 their more highly gifted brethren in their general form, as well as in the structure of the beak, wings, 



