36 AMID THE HIGH HILLS 
migratory flight in miles per hour (ground speed) 
is as follows : 
Ducks . 
. 44-59 
Geese 
. 42-55 
Waders . 
. 34-51 
(but mostly from 40 to 51) 
Starlings 
. 38-49 
Falcons . 
. 40-48 
Corvidae 
. 31-45 
Tame Pigeons 
. 30-36 
The smaller Passeres 
. 20-37" 
Amongst the birds which are claimed by 
different high authorities to be the fastest British 
birds are the swift, the peregi'ine, the golden 
plover, the teal, the wild duck, and the curlew. 
It is curious that in the various controversies 
on the subject no one appears to have contended 
that the golden eagle may possibly be the fastest 
flier amongst British birds. This may be because, 
except in certain parts of the country, the eagle 
is never seen, and there is necessarily very little 
opportunity of comparing his speed with that of 
other birds. In particular the falconer, whose 
opportunities of comparing the speed of birds are, 
as I have already stated, greater than those of any 
other class of men, has no opportunities in the 
case of the eagle. Moreover, the flight of the 
eagle, like that of some of the fastest flying birds, 
