34 
FALCONIM. 
ed, though unsuccessfully, to procure their young.* We were 
informed that there is but one other eyrie. 
Tory island (off Donegal) ; the mountains of Mourne (Down) ; 
Bray Head (Wicklow) ; chffs above the Killeries (Galway) ; Bay 
Lough, near Clogheen (Tipperary) ; the Saltee and Blasquet 
islands, off the coasts of Wexford and Kerry; Ardmore, &c., in 
Waterford ; the marine cliffs of Cork ; are a few of the localities 
known either to my correspondents or myself as breeding haunts 
of this species. A part of the coast, near the city of Waterford, 
was formerly noted for producing a valuable breed of hawks, and 
is still said to be held under lease, the renewal fine of which is 
one or more “ casts of falcons ” bred there. A country lad at- 
tempting, in 1831, to rob a nest near Dunmore, in that county, 
by being lowered over the rock, was struck at so violently by both 
the old birds as to be obliged to desist, and was glad to make his 
escape without personal injury ,f 
I shall first give some notes on this species in a wild state, and 
afterwards, when trained. 
“ Flights ” of wild Peregrine Falcons . — Mr. Sinclaire, many 
years ago, when exercising his dogs on the Belfast mountains 
towards the end of July, preparatory to grouse-shooting, saw 
them point, and coming up, startled a male peregrine falcon off 
a grouse ( Tetrao Scoticus), just killed by him, and very near the 
same place came upon the female bird, also on a grouse. Although 
my friend lifted both the dead birds, the hawks continued flying 
about, and on the remainder of the pack, which lay near, being 
sprung, either three or four more grouse were struck down by them. 
Thus two and a half or three brace were obtained by means of these 
wild birds, being more than had ever been procured out of a pack of 
grouse by my friend's trained falcons .J The same gentleman has 
* Our object, however, was very different from that of a gentleman living so near 
Horn Head as to enjoy ample opportunity of studying its birds, at whose earnest re- 
quest, the keeper procured peregrine falcons for the purpose of being turned out in 
the garden to destroy the worms and snails ! As may be supposed, the poor birds 
did not long survive. 
f Dr. Burkitt. 
% A still stronger instance of the courage of falcons, in which they followed the 
same packs of grouse (! Tetrao saliceti) as the sportsman, notwithstanding the shots 
fired at the latter, will be found noticed under Sea Eagle, at p. 21. 
