PEREGRINE FALCON. 
121 
Btates of plumage, and age of the trained birds. The 
language of falconry was introduced into that 
of science, and the combination was difficult to 
unravel. F. communis , homotinus, and gibbosus, 
are now ascertained to belong to some states of 
this bird ; and in sporting terms, we have Falcon 
for the female, and Tercel for the male. We are 
not so sure, however, of the “ Barbary Falcon,” as 
there are one or two African birds which come 
near, and whose young states may be very similar ; 
and, except that above noted, we have no modern 
instance of the Peregrine being received from 
Africa. The difference in the proportions, and 
in the notching or emargination of the feathers, 
is often very marked ; and it would be well that 
a very rigid examination of every part of the 
specimens which were considered identical, was 
always made before they are recorded, for we are 
convinced that many birds have not nearly the 
extent of distribution which has been assigned to 
them, and that the representing or analogous 
species have been taken for them. 
The food of the Peregrine residing inland, is 
principally game of all kinds ; on the coast, the 
various sea-fowl, of which ducks and the curlews 
are most esteemed. We have seen that the Ame- 
rican birds have certain propensities for fish, but 
few instances have been recorded of small ani- 
mals being destroyed. The flight, when in the 
