THE PEREGRINE FALCON 
bronze and grey which the wind blew about 
the roofs testified whither. When the sur- 
vivors went to feed on the car-rank down 
below they were so tame that they would 
scarcely flutter from the horses' feet ; but now, 
when on the tower, they became so wild that 
a jackdaw flapping overhead was sufficient to 
drive them down in panic to the level of the 
chimney cowls. There the falcon dared not 
pursue them, for men leaned out of their 
windows and pointed, calling to one another 
to look at lolar, the eagle of St. John's. 
Now and then he killed a daw, but daws were 
tough and rank-flavoured compared to pigeons, 
and, moreover, they were strong-winged and 
cautious, conducting their frolics and councils 
as far from him as possible. In fine weather 
he perched on the south parapet of the tower 
to enjoy the wintry sunshine, and although it 
had formerly been the favourite resort of the 
daws they dared not dispute his possession of it. 
The sparrows, the little browneens, who nested 
among the deep stone carving of the western 
front, minded him least of all the people in 
the tower, perhaps because he busied himself 
with them very little. Falcons flew for higher 
quarry. 
In stormy weather lolar sought the refuge of 
the spire, though even there was little enough 
51 
