234 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



in the banks of pools and rivers during the uncomfortable 

 months of winter. 



One of the keepers of Wolmer-forest sent me a pere- 

 grine-falcon, which he shot on the verge of that district as 

 it was devouring a wood-pigeon. The falco peregrinus, or 

 haggard falcon, is a noble species of hawk seldom seen 

 in the southern counties. In winter 1767 one was killed 

 in the neighbouring parish of Faringdon, and sent by me 

 to Mr. Pennant into North- Wales.^ Since that time I 

 have met with none till now. The specimen measured 

 above was in fine preservation, and not injured by the 

 shot : it measured forty-two inches from wing to wing, 

 and twenty-one from beak to tail, and weighed two 

 pounds and an half standing weight. This species is very 

 robust, and wonderfully formed for rapine : its breast was 

 plump and muscular ; its thighs long, thick, and brawny ; 

 and its legs remarkably short and well set : the feet were 

 armed with most formidable, sharp, long talons : the 

 eyelids and cere of the bill were yellow ; but the irides of 

 the eyes dusky ; the beak was thick and hooked, and of a 

 dark colour, and had a jagged process near the end of the 

 upper mandible on each side : its tail, or train, was short 

 in proportion to the bulk of its body : yet the wings, 

 when closed, did not extend to the end of the train. 

 From its large and fair proportions it might be supposed 

 to have been a female ; but I was not permitted to cut 

 open the specimen. For one of the birds of prey, which 

 are usually lean, this was in high case : in its craw were 

 many barley-corns, which probably came from the crop 

 of the wood-pigeon, on which it was feeding when shot : 

 for voracious birds do not eat grain ; but, when devouring 

 their quarry, with undistinguishing vehemence swallow 

 bones and feathers, and all matters, indiscriminately. This 

 falcon was probably driven from the mountains of North 

 Wales or Scotland, where they are known to breed, by 

 rigorous weather and deep snows that had lately fallen. 



I am, etc. 



^ See my tenth and eleventh letter to that gentleman. 



