THE FALCON. 311 



battle was obstinate, and conducted with equal address on 

 both sides. The serpent, feeling at last his inferiority, 

 endeavoured to regain his hole; while the bird apparently 

 guessing his design, stopped him on a sudden, and cut oflf 

 his retreat by placing herself before him at a single leap. 

 On whatever side the reptile endeavoured to make his escape, 

 the enemy still appeared before him. Rendered desperate, the 

 serpent resolved on a last effort. He erected himself boldly 

 to intimidate the bird, and hissing dreadfully, displayed his 

 menacing throat, inflamed eyes, and a head swollen with rage 

 and venom. The bird seemed intimidated for a moment, 

 but soon returned to the charge ; and covering her body with 

 one of her wings as a buckler, struck her enemy with the 

 bony protuberance of the other. M. Vaillant saw the serpent 

 at last stagger and fall; the conqueror then fell upon him 

 to despatch him, and with one stroke of her beak laid open 

 his skull." 

 The Kite. "^^^ ^^*^ ^ common in Europe and is some- 

 The Osprey. times seen in Scotland. It is a bird of the Hawk 

 The Buzzard. ^^^ ^^ j^^^ gg^jj^, y^^ distinguished from other 



birds of prey by its forked tail and the slow and circular 

 eddies it describes in the air whenever it spies its prey. 

 It measures about two feet in length. The Osprey is common 

 in Europe and America. It feeds principally upon fish, in 

 pursuit of which it frequents the sea coast and the borders 

 of lakes and rivers. It is about two feet in length. The 

 common Buzzard is rather smaller, measuring twenty or twenty- 

 two inches. It nests on high trees and watches on overhanging 

 branches for any prey that may pass beneath. The Marsh 

 Harrier which measures twenty-one to twenty-three inches 

 is a formidable foe to moles and mice, rabbits and reptiles. 

 The Falcon. The Peregrine Falcon so famous in the days 

 of Falconry is a fearless bird and does not hesitate to attack 

 those of much larger size. For this reason it was often 

 employed in hunting the Heron. "In this contest," says 



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