sweep upwards in a spiral manner, describing a series of the most beautiful gyrations; and this is one of the circumstances which renders the attack of the trained Falcon on the heron so interesting: the heron, with its huge round wings, mounts up into the sky, its foe striving to rise above (in order to make the swoop) by wheeling round and round till both are mere specks in the blue vault of heaven. The Falcon in its upward flight is much aided by going against the wind, and by this mode it can sweep in a straight line at once obliquely upwards.

The muscular powers of these birds are very considerable, their bodies being compact, and the bones are firmly knit together. Their plumage is close and smooth; and their whole contour exceedingly graceful. The head is indeed peculiarly beautiful, as well from its symmetry, as from the dark expressive eyes, glancing with fire and animation, which indicate their prompt and daring spirit.

Birds constitute their chief prey; these, as we have said, they take while on the wing, and if not too heavy, grasp them in their talons, and carry them away to their

retreat.

Of

The above observations are, however, to be considered as characteristic only of the group of Falcons termed noble; for there is an inferior grade of Falcons, which are not only less in size than their more daring congeners, but far inferior in spirit and energy. The food of these consists of small birds, frogs, mice, and the larger insects, which latter they dart after from their perch on the bough of some tree, and being successful return to it again. the nobler grade, the species were all highly valued in the days of falconry; of the latter no use could be made whatever. In writers of the "olden time," where we continually meet with expressions borrowed from pursuits or arts then in vogue, the term " gentle falcon" often occurs, and is no doubt familiar to many of our readers. The term "gentle" has no relation, as some might imagine, to the disposition of the bird, but to its being reclaimed, and duly trained for falconry. The first example of the noble group of Falcons is one which is still

in use by those who keep up the almost exploded art of falconry, it is the

PEREGRINE FALCON, (Falco peregrinus.) The Pe

regrine Falcon, in Europe at least, is, as its name implies, a bird of passage, retiring southwards from the higher latitudes on the approach of winter. Its favourite breeding place is on the steep and inaccessible rocks of a rugged coast. Hence, though not so abundant as in former days, when protected by severe penalties, they are found plentifully in Wales, Scotland, and the Isle of Wight; indeed at the latter place they breed annually near the Needles, and make terrible havoc among the puffins and razor-bills which tenant the same locality. They are also often killed inland, and it is said that numbers take up their temporary residence on Westminster Abbey, making sad slaughter among the flocks of tame

pigeons in the neighbourhood. In Germany, France, and other parts of the continent, the Peregrine Falcon is common; it is also spread through the mountain districts of Asia; and in North America is the terror of the wild fowl, and often the annoyance of the sportsman. The courage, power, docility, and swiftness of this bird rendered it a favourite in the days of falconry, when the "hawk on

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FALCONING.

fist" was an indication of rank; and its training for the chase was an important duty. When young it was called an eyess," a corruption of the French word niais; it was also often called red hawk, from the colour of its plumage during the first year; when wild and untamed it was named a haggard; the male bird was termed a tiercel, tersel, or tassel. The game at which it was flown were herons, cranes, wild ducks, &c.; these it took by

soaring above them, and then making its stoop, that is, darting down impetuously upon them, and bearing them to the earth with irresistible violence.

The Peregrine has received various appellations, such as the "Slight Falcon," the "Passenger Falcon," and many others; in America it is termed the Duck Hawk, and also the Great-footed Hawk, from the size and strength of its talons. Audubon says, "The flight of this bird is of astonishing rapidity. It is scarcely ever seen sailing, unless after being disappointed in its attempt to secure the prey which it has been pursuing, and even at such times it rises with a broad spiral circuit, to attain a sufficient elevation to enable it to reconnoitre a certain space below."

"The search is often performed with a flight resembling that of a tame pigeon, until perceiving an object it redoubles its flappings, and pursues the fugitive with a rapidity scarcely to be conceived. It follows and nears the timorous quarry at every turn and back-cutting which the latter attempts. Arrived within a few feet of the prey, the Falcon is seen protruding his powerful legs and talons to their full stretch. His wings are for a moment almost closed; the next instant he grapples the prize, which, if too weighty to be carried off directly, he forces obliquely toward the ground, sometimes a hundred yards from where it was seized, to kill it and devour it on the spot." Ducks which have been struck down by it have been observed to have their backs lacerated the whole length by the blow of its talons. The appearance of this hawk strikes universal panic among the hordes of waterfowl, all are eager to escape their dreaded foe, "all speed to the water, and there remain till the hawk has passed them, diving the moment he comes near them. It is worthy of remark, that he will seldom if ever strike over the water, unless it be frozen, well knowing that it will be difficult to secure his quarry." Audubon states that he has seen this bird" come at the report of a gun, and carry off a teal not thirty steps distant from the sportsman who had killed it, with a daring assurance as surprising as unexpected;" and that this conduct is a notorious characteristic of the species. Like all the tribe, this bird

undergoes successive gradations of colouring before attaining that which may be called mature or permanent. When young its plumage on the back inclines to rufous, the middle of each feather only having a tint of deep bluish ash, the under parts being white, with brown longitudinal dashes; in the disposition of the markings the young and old agree pretty closely. The colouring of the adult may thus be described. Head and back of the neck blackish lead colour, which colour as it passes over the back assumes a paler and more ashy tinge; below the eye there extends a large triangular mark of dark lead colour, pointing downwards, and commonly called the moustache; it is a common feature in many of the species of this genus. The throat and breast are white, with a few slender longitudinal dashes of brown; the under parts are dirty white, with fine transverse bars of brown. The tail is alternately banded with bluish gray and black; beak lead colour; tarsi yellow. Length of the male sixteen inches; of the female eighteen.

Another noble bird of this genus is the ICELAND FALCON, (Falco Islandicus, LATH.); also called the Jer-falcon. When in mature plumage, it is white, with bars, and barb-shaped dashes of brown, which become more and more obliterated with age, though they are seldom or never wholly lost. The plumage of the first year on the upper parts is of a uniform dull brown, the head, the neck, and all the under parts being marked with broad longitudinal dashes of brown, edged to a greater or less extent with dirty white. Its synonyms are multitudinous, for in different stages of plumage it has been mistaken for as many species; and even now there exists a doubt with many whether the Jer-falcon is not distinct from the Iceland: we ourselves have conversed with professional falconers from the continent, who have assured us that such is the fact, adding, that in flight and the mode of making the stoop there is a decided difference. They observe, for instance, that the Jer-falcon is commonly obtained in Norway, whereas the true Iceland falcon is not to be met with in that country; that the admeasure