66 



8 



solitary tree, in close proximity to which there was a little corn growing ; but the general cha- 

 racter of the surrounding country is that of wild undulating moors, with a few shrubs at long 

 intervals, and an occasional tree or two. 



" On approaching within about two hundred yards of the place, one of the birds flew from 

 the tree in an anxious manner, as though leaving the nest, and I was much disappointed at not 

 being able to get a shot at it. However, I ascended the tree ; and when within a few feet of 

 the nest, off flew another bird, at which of course I was unable to shoot. I found the nest quite 

 finished, but no eggs in it. It was about eighteen inches in external diameter, neatly put 

 together ; and, unlike most Falcons' nests, it was by no means flat, but, on the contrary, was 

 much hollowed in the middle in the form of a bowl ; it was composed of large sticks at the base, 

 the upper part being made of smaller and more pliable twigs, and lined inside with tender twigs, 

 a little coarse grass, and a few pieces of wool interwoven together. 



" On the 12th of April I again paid a visit to this nest ; but this time I took a friend with 

 me, being determined, if possible, to secure one of the birds. We approached very stealthily 

 and quietly to within about one hundred and fifty yards of the tree, when, as before, one of the 

 parent birds left the tree. Being, however, mindful of what happened on my former visit, I 

 kept myself in readiness for the other bird. On coming to the foot of the tree, we stationed 

 ourselves one on either side of it, shouted and made a great noise, but all to no purpose ; no 

 second bird appeared, nor could I distinguish any thing like a bird on the nest. I began to 

 think that the birds had been too wise to trust again to their former device ; however, to make 

 quite sure of the fact before ascending the tree, my friend fired, when to our no little surprise 

 out flew a bird like an arrow; and, as it came my way, I had the satisfaction of bringing it 

 down. On ascending the tree I found that the nest contained two eggs, which, with the female 

 bird I had shot, I brought away with me, being well satisfied with the result of my morning's 

 walk. 



" The eggs are of a slightly elongated oval form, and differ from the generality of Falcon's 

 eggs in being decidedly more pointed at the smaller end. The two eggs taken by me from the 

 same nest, as before described, are similar in form ; but they differ much in markings : of one the 

 ground-colour is light red covered all over with small spots and blotches of bright red, the 

 blotches being larger and darker at the larger end ; the other egg has a ground-colour of dirty 

 reddish white, covered with small spots and rather larger blotches of a dirty red, the blotches 

 being fewer, larger, and more distinct than on the other egg." 



In my collection are eggs of this Falcon from Bulgaria and the Lower Volga, which vary 

 considerably in colour and markings, some having the ground-colour white clouded and blotched 

 with rufous, and others are dull red or pale red spotted with dark red. One very handsome 

 specimen is boldly blotched with deep red on a white ground, the blotches collecting chiefly in 

 a band round the centre of the egg; and another is as dark and closely marked as a dark 

 Peregrine's egg. In size they vary from 2 inches by Iff to 2\% by Iff inch. 



The specimens figured are : — on the one Plate an ordinary adult female in the foreground, 

 and a young male in the background ; and on the second Plate the very old bird. This Plate 

 is copied from an original watercolour drawing by Wolf of the specimen from Tarsus, which lived 

 for some time in confinement in the Zoological Society's Gardens, and which was referred to by 



