PEREGRINE-FALCON. 
241 
before eight o'clock in the evening, he discovered a great cluster 
of house-swallows, thirty at least he supposes, perching on a 
willow that hung over the verge of James Knight's upper-pond. 
His attention was first drawn by the twittering of these birds, 
which sat motionless in a row on the bough, with their heads all 
one way, and, by their weight, pressing down the twig so that 
it nearly touched the water. In this situation he watched them 
till he could see no longer. Repeated accounts of this sort, 
spring and fall, induce us greatly to suspect that house-swallows 
have some strong attachment to water, independent of the matter 
of food; and, though they may not retire into that element, yet 
they may conceal themselves in the banks of pools and rivers 
during the uncomfortable months of winter. 
One of the keepers of Wolmer-forest sent me a peregrine- 
Peregrine-Falcon. 
falcon, which he shot on the verge of that district as it was de- 
vouring a wood-pigeon. The falco peregrinus, or haggard falcon, 
is a noble species of hawk seldom seem in the southern counties. 
In winter 1767 one was killed in the neighbouring parish of 
Farringdon, and sent by me to Mr. Pennant into North Wales.* 
Since that time I have met with none till now. The specimen 
mentioned above was in fine preservation, and not injured by 
nidification ; but differs in being one of the latest to arrive of all our summer birds of passage, 
whence probably it is, generally speaking, so little known. It is seldom heard much before the 
beginning of May, but does not, as has been said, depart earlier than its congeners. Its eggs are 
of a grayer tinge than those of the blackcap. — En. 
* See my tenth and eleventh letter to that gentleman. 
R 
