Page:The Natural History of Ireland vol1.djvu/58

 ed, though unsuccessfully, to procure their young.* We were informed that there is but one other eyrie.

Tory island (off Donegal); the mountains of Mourne (Down); Bray Head (Wicklow); cliffs above the Killeries (Galway); Bay Lough, near Clogheen (Tipperary); the Saltee and Blasquet islands, off the coasts of Wexford and Kerry; Ardrnore, &c, in Waterford; the marine cliffs of Cork; are a few of the localities known either to my correspondents or myself as breeding haunts of this species. A part of the coast, near the city of Waterford, was formerly noted for producing a valuable breed of hawks, and is still said to be held under lease, the renewal fine of winch is one or more "casts of falcons" bred there. A country lad at- tempting, in 1831, to rob a nest near Dunmore, in that county, by being lowered over the rock, was struck at so violently by both the old birds as to be obliged to desist, and was glad to make his escape without personal injury.t

I shall first give some notes on this species in a wild state, and afterwards, when trained.

"Flights" of wild Peregrine Falcons. — Mr. Sinclaire, many years ago, when exercising his dogs on the Belfast mountains towards the end of July, preparatory to grouse-shooting, saw them point, and coming up, startled a male peregrine falcon off a grouse (Tetrao Scoticus), just killed by him, and very near the same place came upon the female bird, also on a grouse. Although my friend lifted both the dead birds, the hawks continued flying about, and on the remainder of the pack, which lay near, being sprung, either three or four more grouse were struck down by them. Thus two and a half or three brace were obtained by means of these wild birds, being more than had ever been procured out of a pack of grouse by my friend's trained falcons.J The same gentleman has

Our object, however, was very different from that of a gentleman living so near Horn Head as to enjoy ample opportunity of studying its birds, at whose earnest re- quest, the keeper procured peregrine falcons for the purpose of being turned out in the garden to destroy the worms and snails ! As may be supposed, the poor birds did not long survive.

f Dr. Burkitt.

A still stronger instance of the courage of falcons, in which they followed the same packs of grouse (Tetrao saliceti) as the sportsman, notwithstanding the shots fired at the latter, will be found noticed under Sea Eagle, at p. 21.