Page:The Natural History of Ireland vol1.djvu/86

 the island of Sphacteria, where the peregrine falcon also presented itself. The small size of the F. tinnunculoides readily marks its species to the ornithologist, with whom it at once becomes a favourite, and courts his attention almost like a pet bird.

Astur palumbarius, Linn, (sp.)

Falco

in his MS., remarked under "Goshawk:" "I have seen a young one, got at the rocks of Magilligan, county of Londonderry," and "a specimen [is] in the Dublin Museum." He noted also, under "Gentil Falcon" (another name for the same species), "on the 25th of July, 1809, I saw at Carrickfergus a stuffed specimen that had been shot at the Gobbins."

I have no doubt that the peregrine falcon,* a bird to which both the names just used have occasionally been applied, and that still breeds at the Gobbins, is here meant. It likewise is probably the species alluded to, as at Magilligan, for nowhere are there rocks better suited to its eyrie. When I visited the loca- lity, in the summer of 1833, the common buzzard had a nest there. It is not stated where the specimen in the Dublin Muse- um was obtained.

Bird preservers have told me of goshawks, killed in Ireland, having been sent to them to be set up, but the species has neither been seen by myself, nor by any of my correspondents throughout the island. It is not, however, by any means improbable that the bird may be an occasional visitant.

For the peregrine falcon being called goshawk, see that species, p. 48, foot- note. The latter term is applied by the peasantry and others, (who should be better informed, to any of the larger Falconidæ, such as the common buzzard, &c.