subject, and have written the above rhapsody simply as 

 an appeal to the few who can sympathize in the chief 

 delight of a still smaller portion of the community. 



The nest of the Peregrine is generally situated on a 

 ledge or in a cavity of sea-cliffs or inland crags, and has 

 been occasionally found on elevated buildings. The 

 eggs are generally three, not uncommonly four, in 

 number. 



In treating of this bird as above, from a falconer's 

 point of view, I have advisedly used the feminine article, 

 as from that standpoint the word Falcon is applied 

 exclusively to the female bird, which is very much larger 

 and more powerful than the male, and consequently held 

 in higher estimation for sporting-purposes ; the latter, 

 in the language of falconry, is known as Tiercel. The 

 progress of cultivation and consequent enclosure have 

 virtually circumscribed the available area for falconry in 

 our country to a very great extent, an open treeless 

 district being the first essential to its successful prac- 

 tice ; but in spite of every difficulty the noble art is still 

 kept up in our islands, and by many of the officers of 

 our army in India, where it can be carried out in the 

 most favourable circumstances, with results quite unat- 

 tainable at home. 



The Peregrine ranges over the whole of Europe and 

 Asia, and is represented by very closely allied forms in 

 Africa, Australia, and the New World. 



