348 PEREGRINE FALCON. 
obtained in Iceland ; but it was found on Jan Mayen’'in April, and 
breeds regularly in Greenland up to about 70° N. lat., as well as 
at Cumberland Island, on the western side of Davis Strait. On the 
mainland of North America is found /. anxatum, a closely-allied 
species with ruddier breast. In Europe, our bird is found from 
Scandinavia and the Northern Island of Novaya Zemlya (Lutke 
Land) down to the Mediterranean, but in the basin of that sea it 
is only known in winter: the resident race being the small F! punscus. 
Across Asia the Peregrine—allowing for sub-species—is found as 
far east as Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands, and Japan; in fact, 
under one form or another, it is met with almost all over the world. 
This Falcon does not build a nest, but deposits its eggs, often 
early in April, on some overhung ledge of a cliff covered with a 
coating of earth, in which a hollow is scratched ; or on an old nest 
of a Raven, Crow, Heron &c., in rocks or trees (usually pines). It 
also resorts to church-towers and steeples, while it lays its eggs on 
the bare ground in Lapland and Siberia. The 2-4 eggs vary from 
freckled orange-brown to rich brick-red: measurements 2 in. by 1°6. 
The same spot is resorted to year after year ; and one in Connemara, 
known in 1684 to have been frequented from time immemorial, is 
still inhabited. Both sexes incubate ; and should one of the birds 
be killed the survivor soon finds another mate. The young are driven 
away by their parents in August, and in autumn numbers have been 
captured on the heaths near Valkenswaard in Holland for hawking. 
The Peregrine varies its diet according to locality and individual 
taste, preying on ducks, waders, sea-fowl (especially Puffins), Pigeons, 
Grouse, Partridges, Lapwings, Hooded-Crows, Rooks, Choughs, 
Magpies, Jays, and even Kestrels ; while it sometimes sweeps young 
rabbits off the side of a cliff. In many districts it is known as the 
‘ Hunting-Hawk,’ and, erroneously, as the ‘Goshawk’ ; by falconers 
the male is called the Tiercel (corruptly Tassel), and the female the 
Falcon. The cry is a loud and repeated heh, heh, hek. 
The adult has the crown, cheeks and stripe blackish ; upper 
parts slate-grey (paler on the rump) with darker bars; under parts 
buffish-white to warm rufous, barred with a very variable amount of 
black ; iris hazel-brown ; bill bluish; cere and legs bright yellow. 
Length: male 15 in., wing 12°5 in.; female 18 in., wing 14 in. 
Young: upper feathers brown with buff margins; under parts 
ochreous, with dark brown streaks ; cere and legs livid-grey. 
For remarks upon the moulting of this and other species of 
Falcons, reference may be made to the last paragraph on p. 344. 
