Clarke : Notes on Birds in Dutch Brabant. 91 



inhabitants, in the province of Dutch or North Brabant, and is situate 

 about five miles and thirty miles, respectively, from the Belgian and 

 Grerman frontiers. With regard to the character of the country ^ 

 Valkens^Yaard is surrounded by vast heaths or plains, resembling 

 flat moors, that on the eastern side of the village being the largest, 

 and extends some twelve miles in length by three miles broad. 

 This is covered with heather for its greater part, and studded with 

 numerous shallow lagoons, varying in size, and surrounded with 

 long yellow grass. Running through the plain from south to north 

 is the river Tongreep, which is exceedingly deep and sluggish, and 

 whilst narrow in some places, in others it spreads out, forming 

 extensive marshes, with tussocks of coarse grass, and a luxuriant 

 growth of aquatic plants. Here and there in the marsh and lagoon 

 are sedgy islands, on which the bog-myrtle, stunted willows, sallows, 

 and alders flourish. 



The other heaths are similar to the one described, that on the 

 west being traversed by the rivers Dommel and Kierschop, which 

 unite a little to the north of Yalkenswaard. Thus three rivers run 

 nearly parallel to each other at almost equal distances. 



Pine and fir plantations and willow garths are numerous. A few 

 stunted pine trees are scattered in clusters or singly on the heaths. 



The above brief sketch will give a sufficiently good idea of the 

 general face of the country for the purposes of the present article. 



Where a species is simply enumerated, it is meant to imply that it 

 is common, and nothing special was noted concerning it. 



The name appearing in brackets after the specific name is the 

 Dutch name for that species. 



Peregrine Falcon. — This species will always be associated with the 

 village of Yalkenswaard, which is famous for having in the days of 

 falconry supplied Europe with both falcons and falconers ; but an 

 indication of the present position of that noble sport may be found 

 in the fact, that this once village of falconers now contains one 

 family only, that of Mollen, which follows the calling. The 

 MoUens, father and two sons, capture this species whilst on the 

 autumn passage by an elaborate system of trapping, and after 

 training, send most of them to England. Adrian Mollen, the 

 father, filled the ofiice of head falconer to the King of Holland for 

 many years, and has retired on a pension. We frequently saw the 

 peregrine on the heaths ; these birds belonged to the spring 

 migration, and were unusually late in taking their departure. On 

 the 15th a fine flight was observed with a teal which, seeking the 

 river with a splash, foiled its noble pursuer. 



