198 



THE YOUNG NATUKALIST. 



one instance five partridges were struck 

 down in succession by a single Peregrine. 

 The wing of a Kestrel has been found near 

 the nest of the Peregrine. So daring is this 

 "noble" Falcon that Wolley tells of one 

 which flew from a rock in the Orkneys to 

 attack an eagle, knocking the latter down, 

 but breaking its own wing at the same time. \ 

 On the northern shores of Canada the 

 Peregrine makes great havoc among the long 

 tailed ducks, which breed there in quantities. | 

 It is exciting to watch this Falcon chase some 

 of the quick flying birds, such as the golden 

 plover; doubling and turning, the poor bird 

 using every device in order to evade its '• 

 pursuer, which never gives up the chase until 

 the bird is exhausted. It will, however, 

 seldom follow a bird into a thicket, and when 

 one finds shelter in this way it is generally so 

 terrified that it will suffer itself to be taken 

 in the hand. In one case a Peregrine was de- 

 vouring a bird it had caught, and, seeing 

 another it took up the bird it had in one foot, 

 gave chase, and caught the second in the 

 other. 



In Confinement it should, if possible, 

 be fed upon suitable birds entire. It must 

 not be allowed to run on " short commons, " 

 as if any other birds are kept in the same 

 cage they may come to grief. In such a case 

 a female Peregrine has been known to attack 

 and devour her partner, the male bird. 

 They are not difficult to tame if taken from 

 the nest when young. In former days the 

 young birds were kept in a dark place, and 

 without food for a day or two, and then fed 

 by the falconer and taught to know his voice. 



Habitat— This species is still to be 

 found in many parts of Britain, chiefly on 

 the coast, frequenting places where the rocks 

 tower to a great height, but sometimes it is 

 found breeding inland. In some parts of 

 Scotland and Wales it is common, and it 

 breeds in almost all the rocky parts of the 

 coast of Ireland, I have known several 

 specimens killed at Flambro Head, and others 

 in north Yorkshire. The breeding places of 



this bird are studded at intervals all over 

 the British Isles. On most of the rocky 

 parts of the coast of Scotland nests may be 

 found ; in Sutherland, in many parts of the 

 Highlands, on Bass Rock and St. Kilda. In 

 England nests have been taken from the 

 rugged mountain sides of Cumberland 

 and Westmorland ; and also in Upper 

 Swaledale, at Flambro Head, Beechy Head, 

 Isle of Wight, and many parts of the Devon 

 and Cornish coast ; in Wales both inland 

 and on the coast about Llandudno, Anglesea 

 &c. The breeding stations in Ireland are 

 numerous, especially at Antrim, where very 

 recently eight or nine nests could be found at 

 no very great distance from each other. 



Abroad it is found over all the rocky 

 districts of Europe, many parts of Asia, 

 North America, North and South Africa, and 

 some parts of South America, as far as the 

 straits of Magallan. 



Nest- — The nest is placed on a shelf of 

 j some precipice, often in the most inaccess- jj 



able places. Occasionally it is built in a tall 

 | tree, and sometimes the Peregrine will 

 | appropriate the nest of some other 

 species, as that of a crow or raven. On 

 ! the continent the top of a church tower 

 j is not unfrequently made use of. When 

 j built by the Peregrine it is composed of 

 j sticks, lined with coarse grass or fern (inland) 

 ; or seaweed (on the coast). It breeds early in 

 j the spring, and during the time of laying, if 



one bird be killed, the other will soon find a J 

 ; fresh mate. The attachment of certain birds j 

 I to their breeding place is well known ; the 

 late Mr. Woolley tells of a certain cliff in 

 I Lapland which had been known to contain 

 a Falcon's nest from 1436 to 1853. He has 

 also found the nest on the ground. 



EggS- — Three eggs are generally laid, 

 J sometimes four. They are burnt seinna red, 

 with darker shades and blotches, a very 

 j beautiful egg, something like a large Kes- 

 : trels, only more or less white. 



Varieties sometimes occur perfectly 

 white. 



