falcons: the peregrine. 163 



feathered but skinned, from the neck downwards, the flesh 

 being separated into portions, "with as much apparent ease 

 as if he had been operating with the sharpest surgical 

 instrument." 



There is nothing specially handsome in the appearance 

 of the peregrine if we except what may be termed his moral 

 qualities. He is darker on the head and back than some of 

 his relatives, but his under parts are light comparatively, 

 the throat being marked with blackish vertical bars, whilst 

 the breast and lower parts generally are barred transversely. 

 These markings on the thigh are characteristic and serve as 

 a distinguishing sign. The cere and feet are yellow, the beak 

 a horrfy blue. Though the peregrine is common in the 

 central provinces of China, the bird is not of. those usually 

 employed by the Chinese in hawking. The peregrine loves 

 a retiring place amongst high land, but for food it rather 

 prefers lower ground and especially that in the neighbour- 

 hood of water, for though all sorts of game birds, grouse, 

 partridges, etc. are welcome items in its bill of fare, it has 

 also a fondness for most kinds of water birds, duck, teal, and 

 widgeon amongst the web-footed, and curlew, whimbrel, 

 woodcock, and snipe amongst the waders. It has been 

 estimated in Scotland that a pair of peregrines kills something 

 like 300 brace of grouse in the course of a year, and one can 

 hardly be surprised that the mere "preserver" of game, 

 and still more he who has an eye to the marketable 

 value of his wild life, should look with a not too friendly 

 eye on so rapacious a neighbour. Hence it too often 

 comes to pass that a charge of No. 1, 2, or 3 comes into 

 plzcy, and Falco peregrinus is fortunate if he falls into the 

 hands of a Rowland Ward, and notof an "artist" whohasnever 

 seen a peregrine in the life. Well set up, he may yet be "a 



joy for ever," otherwise ! There is this to be said in 



favour of the peregrine: even on a game preserve, he infallibly 

 kills off all weakly birds and so maintains the general health- 

 iness of the community. 



Owing to the many variations in plumage due partly to 

 immaturity, and partly to local conditions, there has been a 

 great amount of uncertainty respecting the true life and 

 appearance of the peregrine. I am afraid that the number 

 of ornithological compilers of bird books is far greater than the 

 numberof those who have done as Thomas Edward did, that is, 

 who have made a study of wild life at first hand. Respecting 

 the incident of the slain partridge referred to above, he says, 

 "I was glad, nay proud, of this unlooked-for occurrence, as 

 I had never before, on any occasion, had the pleasure of 

 seeing any of these noble birds in a state of nature, or whilst 

 engaged in devouring their prey." He then gives utterance 



