116 
PEREGRINE FALCON. 
straggler, but in the mountainous counties, part of 
Yorkshire, for instance, and in the border coun- 
ties, and many parts of Wales, its eyries were 
frequent and are still found. On entering the 
Scottish frontier, it is still more common, be- 
comes rarer in the lower and richer valley of the 
Forth or Mid-Lothian ; but on crossing this, and 
entering the Highland ranges, it again prevails. 
In Ireland, it is also found : Mr Thompson writes, 
“ It may be stated in general terms, that the 
Peregrine Falcon occurs in suitable localities 
throughout Ireland. In the four maritime coun- 
ties of Ulster, it has many eyries, and in Antrim, 
whose basaltic precipices are favourable for this 
purpose, seven, at least, might be enumerated : of 
these only one is inland.”* On the Scottish 
coasts, almost every precipitous headland is pos- 
sessed by a pair of “ Blue Hawks,” and similar 
situations elsewhere are the most favourite breed- 
ing places of the species, selected, most likely, as 
by the Jer Falcon, on account of the abundant 
provender which also nestles around them. Many 
pairs, however, also breed inland, and the moun- 
tain ranges on both sides of the Border abound 
with eyries; but among a race of birds, which 
of old were held in so high estimation both in 
Britain and on the Continent, it^was to be expee- 
Mag. of Zool. and Bot. vol. ii. 
