THE PEREGRINE FALCON. 255 
Peregrine’s wing, that it has often been observed to bear in its talons a bird 
larger than itself, and to carry it to the nest without difficulty. Even = 
guillemot has been struck and carried off by the Peregrine. ; 
The eggs of this bird are generally two or three in number, although a 
fourth is sometimes known to be laid in the same nest. The colour of the 
egg is a very pale reddish brown, usually mottled with a darker tint. 
In its adult state, the Peregrine Falcon is very elegantly coloured. The 
top of the head, the back of the neck, the primaries, and a stripe beneath 
the eye, are of a deep black-brown; the upper parts of the body are ashy 
brown, the latter tint becoming fainter in each successive moult, and being 
always marked with a series of dark bars upon its back, tail, and wing- 
coverts: the breast is white, deepening into a chestnut hue, and being 
barred transversely with reddish brown upon the breast, and marked on 
the front of the throat with longitudinal dashes of very dark brown. The 
remainder of th: under plumage is greyish white, profusely barred with dark 
brown. When young the plumage is altogether of a more ruddy hue, and 
the birds are termed in the language of falconry, Red Tercels, or Red 
Falcons, according to their sex. 
THE small but exquisitely shaped Hoppy is found spread over the greater 
part of the old world, specimens having been taken in’ Northern Africa, and in 
many portions of Asia, as well as in Europe, which seems to be its chief 
residence. It was formerly very common in England, but is year by year 
less seldom seen in our island, as is the case with all its predaceous relations. 
From all accounts, it seems to be rather a local bird, being partially influ- 
enced by the nature of the ground and the-quantity of food which it is able 
to procure. ; 
This bird appears to favour inland and well-wooded lands rather than the 
sea-shore or the barren rocks; thus presenting a strong contrast to the 
Peregrine Falcon. We may find an obvious reason for this preference in 
the fact that a considerable proportion of its food is composed of the larger 
insects, especially of the fat-bodied beetles, which it seizes on the wing. 
Chafers of various kinds are a favourite prey with the Hobby, and in several 
cases the stomachs of Hobbies that had been shot were found to contain 
nothing but the shelly portions of the larger dung-chafer (geotrupes sterco- 
varius). As therefore the common cock-chafer is a leaf eating msect and 
frequents forest lands for the purpose of attaining its food, the Hobby will 
constantly be found in the same locality for the object of feeding on the cock- 
chafer, And as the dung-chafer swarms wherever cattle are most abun- 
dantly nourished, the Hobby is attracted to the same spot for the sake of the 
plentiful supply of food which it can obtain. ; ; 
ALTHOUGH of the smallest of the British Falconidz, being only from ten 
to thirteen inches in length, accoiding to the sex of the individual, th« 
MERLIN is one of the most dashing and brilliant of all the hawks whic. 
frequent our island. a 
This beautiful little bird is almost invaluable to the young falconer, as it is 
so docile in disposition and so remarkably intelligent in character, that it 
repays his instructions much sooner than any of the more showy but less 
teachabie falcons. Every movement of this admirable little hawk is full of 
life and vivacity ; its head turns sharply from side to side as it sits on its 
master’s hand ; its eyes almost flame with fiery eagerness, and it ever and 
anon gives vent to its impatience bya volley of ear-piercing shrieks. 
Before the young bird is able to tear to pieces its winged prey, it should 
always be accustomed to have its food placed upon the stuffed skin of a 
partridge, and when it has attained sufficient strength, the breast of a real 
partridge should be cut open, and a small portion of its ordinary tood 
