174 
BIRDS. 
i8o. Faico peregrin us, Twnstull. Peregrine Falcon, 
Eesident, and still holds its ground, despite the incessant 
persecution it receives from keepers. This is the " Falcon " 
of the Highland keeper, who rarely calls it by any other 
name ; being extremely difficult to trap, the birds are gene- 
rally shot during the nesting season. Some eyries have 
been deserted in our recollection, while others again have 
been formed ; the absence of suitable nesting-places make 
them rarer in the east than in the west. In the deer-forests 
of Dunrobin and Ben Armine peregrines are rather preserved 
than otherwise. 
Still fairly abundant in the west, and we know of about 
eight eyries on the north and west coasts between Whiten 
Head and Loch Inver, and about eight inland eyries in 
Assynt within a radius of ten miles. Not much decreased 
of late years, though many are killed. 
Our experience in regard to this and other species of 
birds is, that whenever the old ones are killed the old 
nesting-place is occupied the next season by others, very 
probably young birds which have escaped destruction in 
former years ; but the re-occupation of favourite breeding- 
haunts by many species, after temporary desertion, may 
possibly be explained under certain phenomena of migration, 
and certain fixed lines by which species travel. 
The game-hawk frequents the coasts almost the whole 
year round (Cape Wrath Migration Schedule), also Stoir 
Head (probably the Handa pair). 
Notwithstanding the war waged against it, the peregrine 
cannot be regarded as a rare bird in Caithness, the places 
where it is most abundant being on the inaccessible rocks 
of the coast. Vast numbers of these birds are shot or trapped 
every year, but several broods escape destruction yearly. 
It appears to be resident the year round. Mr. Osborne gives 
a graphic account of a peregrine hunting a hen-harrier, 
apparently more for the sport than from any intention of 
