THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



197 



longest, and reach, when closed, nearly to 

 the end of the tail, which is moderately long, 

 The first quill feather is peculiarly narrowed 

 towards the tip. 



8. PEREGRINE. 



Falco peregrinus Gmel, 



Cliff hawk (Devon). 

 Pelegrim falk (Sweden). 

 Kappalo haukka (Lapmark). 

 Duck hawk (America). 

 1'eiiegrin us (L.) — A foreigner, or wan- 

 derer. 



Size. — Male, length from 15m. to 2oin., 

 expanse of wings a little over 3ft. ; female, 

 length igin. to 23m., expanse 3ft. Sin. or 

 gin. 



Plumage. — A fine young female (PI. 8, 

 lower figure) in my own collection has the 

 forehead yellowish-white ; top and sides of 

 head, and a patch on each lower jaw, black- 

 ish-brown ; back of neck same colour, 

 mottled with yellowish- white ; back and 

 wings blackish-brown, each feather slightly 

 margined with lighter colour ; tail blackish- 

 brown, with about seven lighter bars, and 

 the tips of the feathers nearly white ; throat 

 yellowish-white ; breast and under parts the 

 same, with broad longitudinal streaks of black- 

 ish-brown. In the adult dress these mark- 

 ings change, and assume a transverse charac- 

 ter, The male is much smaller, but other- 

 wise does not differ in colour from the female. 

 The bill of both sexes is horn colour ; cere 

 and legs lemon yellow. Eyes dark brown. 

 The upper figure represents an adult male in 

 pursuit of a teal. 



Immature birds are redder than adults, 

 especially on the back ; the head and neck are 

 whitish tinged with red and shades of brown. 

 The breast or under parts creamy or yel- 

 lowish white, with longitudinal marks of dark 

 brown. The full plumage is not attained 

 until the third or fourth moult. Mr. Han- 

 cock says the mature dress is attained the 

 first moult, but this is very doubtful. 



The Young are at first covered with white 



down. 



Varieties seem to be very rare — such as 

 whiteor pied. One, a male, has been noticed, 

 with the under parts pale salmon colour. 



Note. — This species does not often make 

 use of its voice only at the commencement of 

 the breeding season, when it sometimes 

 i issues a loud and shrill cry. 



Flight.— The ordinary flight of the Pere- 

 | grine is by rather quick regular flaps of the 

 wings, something after the manner of a 

 { pigeon. When pursuing its prey it is ex- 

 ceedingly rapid, the speed being calculated 

 , by Montague at the rate of 150 miles an 

 hour. When pursuing its prey it will en- 

 I deavour to ascend above it, and its victim 

 j probably knowing this will endeavour to 

 I keep the uppermost, and in this way the two 

 will sometimes tower to such a height as to 

 I become almost invisible. 



Migration.— In Britain this species has 

 not been observed to be migratory to any 

 very large extent, except perhaps in the 

 South, undoubtedly it generally shifts its 

 quarters after the breeding season is over, 

 j but probably only to wander in quest of 

 j prey. In America, where the bird is more 

 j common, those which breed on the shores of 

 Hudson's Bay, and other northern districts 

 of Canada migrate to New Jersey and 

 Pennsylvania on the approach of winter. 



Pood.— The food of the Peregrine con- 

 sists of birds of moderate size, such as grouse, 

 ! gulls, guillemots, and also hares, rabbits and 

 smaller animals. The Peregrine generally 

 captures its prey by chase, pouncing upon its 

 victim from above with tremendous violence, 

 often killing it at the first blow. It is very 

 fearless and has been known to strike down 

 game before the sportsman's dog. The 

 Peregrine has also been known to come at the 

 report of a gun, and pick up a teal which had 

 been shot, and fly off with it. It even seems 

 so fond of killing its prey that in some cases 

 it must have been done for sport, for it has 

 been seen to strike down rooks and other birds 

 and fly on without stopping to pick them up. In 



