34 falconidje. 



ed, though unsuccessfully, to procure their young.* We were 

 informed that there is but one other eyrie. 



Tory island (off Donegal) ; the mountains of Mourne (Down) ; 

 Bray Head (Wicklow) ; cliffs above the Killeries (Galway) ; Bay 

 Lough, near Clogheen (Tipperary) ; the Saltee and Blasquet 

 islands, off the coasts of Wexford and Kerry ; Ardrnore, &c, in 

 Waterford ; the marine cliffs of Cork ; are a few of the localities 

 known either to my correspondents or myself as breeding haunts 

 of this species. A part of the coast, near the city of Waterford, 

 was formerly noted for producing a valuable breed of hawks, and 

 is still said to be held under lease, the renewal fine of winch is 

 one or more " casts of falcons " bred there. A country lad at- 

 tempting, in 1831, to rob a nest near Dunmore, in that county, 

 by being lowered over the rock, was struck at so violently by both 

 the old birds as to be obliged to desist, and was glad to make his 

 escape without personal injury.t 



I shall first give some notes on this species in a wild state, and 

 afterwards, when trained. 



" Mights " of wild Peregrine Falcons. — Mr. Sinclaire, many 

 years ago, when exercising his dogs on the Belfast mountains 

 towards the end of July, preparatory to grouse-shooting, saw 

 them point, and coming up, startled a male peregrine falcon off 

 a grouse {Tetrad Scoticus), just killed by him, and very near the 

 same place came upon the female bird, also on a grouse. Although 

 my friend lifted both the dead birds, the hawks continued flying 

 about, and on the remainder of the pack, which lay near, being 

 sprung, either three or four more grouse were struck down by them. 

 Thus two and a half or three brace were obtained by means of these 

 wild birds, being more than had ever been procured out of a pack of 

 grouse by my friend's trained falcons.J The same gentleman has 



* Our object, however, was very different from that of a gentleman living so near 

 Horn Head as to enjoy ample opportunity of studying its birds, at whose earnest re- 

 quest, the keeper procured peregrine falcons for the purpose of being turned out in 

 the garden to destroy the worms and snails ! As may be supposed, the poor birds 

 did not long survive. 



f Dr. Burkitt. 



\ A still stronger instance of the courage of falcons, in which they followed the 

 same packs of grouse (Tetrao saliceti) as the sportsman, notwithstanding the shots 

 fired at the latter, will be found noticed under Sea Eagle, at p. 21. 



