PEREGRINE FALCON. 
115 
coloured plumage, procured from the late INIr. Widdowson, to whom it was sent 
alive, on being taken at Croxton Park, on 13th June, 1884. Mr. Widdowson 
wrote concerning it : — “ I have examined it, and cannot find any wounds. It 
is very amiable, allowing me to stroke its head or back without showing any 
temper or fear. It is now two or three days since capture, and it has not 
eaten anything at present.” After it came into my possession I kept it 
alive up to the end of June, but, although exceedingly tame, it would not 
touch anything, nor could we force anything down its throat, not even water. 
After it died we found it had received injury to the walls of the abdomen, 
evidently caused by shot. The colour of its irides was golden-yellow ; legs and 
toes reddish-yellow. 
In Eutland. — I am enabled to add this bird to the avi-fauna of the 
county through Lord Glainsborough, who took me to see one — a light, barred- 
breasted specimen — in the possession of his keeper, Henry Cunnington, by whom 
it was shot in Tunneley Wood about 1858-60. This has since passed into the 
possession of Lord Gainsborough. 
PEREGRINE FALCON. Falco peregrinus (Tunstall). 
Of rare occurrence, and does not breed in the county. — Mr. Babington 
(Appendix ‘Potter,’ p. 65), under date 1842, mentioned that “a very fine female 
was shot five or six years ago, near the Loughborough outwoods,” also that 
“ two, a male and female, were killed at Gopsall about two years ago ” ; these 
are, without doubt, the same recorded by Harley, who said Mr. Bloxam wrote 
him that a pair were shot during the summer of 1838. He further stated that 
Chaplin had met with this species at Groby ; Adams had also met with it 
occasionally at Bradgate, and it had been captured by Monk in Oakley and 
Piper Woods. Harley also records it from Bonington, whilst the late Mr. R. 
Widdowson appears to have known it to occur at Stapleford Park. Turner reports 
a female shot by Mr. Berkeley at the North Bridge some years since, while 
chasing Pigeons. In Oct., 1885, I purchased a specimen for the Museum, an 
immature female said to have been shot some eight years previously at Wood- 
gate, near the North Bridge, out of some high poplar- trees, but I am rather 
doubtful as to the genuineness of this statement, and am therefore pleased to 
record that, in May, 1885, Mr. Owen West kindly allowed the Museum to acquire 
an adult female Peregrine, undoubtedly shot by himself at Tur Langton about 
five years previously. It appears that Mr. West was returning from shooting^ 
on Horseback, when he saw a large unknown bird in a tree. Riding rapidly 
underneath, he was just in time to pop a cartridge in his gun, and fire at the 
bird as it left the tree, and this he did with one hand, the result of this 
extraordinary shot being that he killed the bird stone dead. 
In Rutland. — As in Leicestershire. — Lord Gainsborough reports that it 
“ has been observed at many places in the county, notably at Normanton, by 
