134 PEREGRINE FALCON 
used, or have been used within the last fifteen years, most 
being in the midst of, or close to, considerable colonies of 
sea-birds. As mentioned above, the locality is year after 
year adhered to, though the exact spot is changed, and in 
some cases where two eyries are within about a mile of each 
other, it is possible that they are alternative. As is now 
well known, the Peregrine makes, strictly speaking, no nest, 
though the ruins of a last season’s nest of some other bird 
may be utilised. 
Maughold Head, from which Mr. Kermode says the last 
‘Coronation Falcons’ were taken by one of his uncles, was, 
according to the same authority, deserted about 1886, when 
the female bird was shot, but in 1899 a pair again appeared 
there, and the eyrie is now, I am told, again regularly 
occupied. 
At a station in Santon also one of the birds was shot a 
few years ago, and according to Mr. Bacon, the locality 
has since been forsaken. Wallberry, near Douglas, was 
probably abandoned some time earlier. 
At the eyrie has been repeatedly robbed. Thus, 
about the end of May 1880, three young were reached by | 
means of a rope, and on 27th May 1883 two young, nearly 
fledged, were obtained, and eventually sold in England. 
In 1884 the eggs were taken in April, and again on 
30th March 1888, and 4th April 1890. In 1891, I was 
told, no fewer than twelve eggs were taken from time to 
time. 
In 1888 the situation was on a little recess on a steep 
slope, with still steeper brows above and a precipice beneath, 
but very near a frequented path. In the recess, the floor 
of which was of bare earth, were remains of a Herring Gull’s 
nest, on which were laid the eggs (four, seemingly the 
usual number in Man). On other occasions the site has 
been a ledge on the highest and sheerest precipice in 
