Page:The peregrine falcon at the eyrie (IA cu31924084757206).pdf/47

 Rh pick up any morsel that misses a youngster's beak and drops into the eyrie and carefully offers it again. He holds the quarry firmly under one foot and tears pieces off with his beak. He holds each piece loosely in the tip of his beak and, tilting his head sideways, offers it to a youngster, who takes it most gently with its own beak-points crosswise to his.

With some mouthfuls they get a good deal of feathers and bone, but with the internal parts, intestines, etc., none at all. One youngster had a job with one of the thrush's legs, the foot and claws still sticking out of its mouth for a long time; but eventually it got it down. At 5.20 a.m, the long-drawn-out food cry of the Falcon is heard again. He immediately replies and flies out to her, and there is much noise above; but I cannot see the birds. He brings in a small bird, a rock-pipit, intact, and I wonder if it is the same bird I have heard singing at intervals during the last hour or so. After feeding the young, in which I notice again that the only parts of the quarry which are not used up are the flight and tail-feathers, which he pulls out and drops, he jumps on to rock C and stands there for some time. Suddenly there is the long-drawn-out food cry of the Falcon again, and he immediately replies and flies out to her, when she transfers something rather small—part of a plucked bird—to his talons in mid-air. She was carrying it in her left foot, and he took it from her with his left foot. He flies down somewhere behind the hut and evidently has his breakfast; it looks as if she plucked the food more thoroughly for him than for the young. This was at 5.45 a.m., and five minutes later he returns and broods, first picking up a few small, dry pieces and giving them to the young. It is quite evident that he is the housekeeper, and that she does the hunting and catering. He makes a model father, but never attempts to hunt quarry himself, merely watching for her return. It is now 6.45 a.m., and the Tiercel has been on the look-out for the Falcon for some time. He is evidently getting anxious for her return, as he keeps moving from one point to another, occasionally closing his eyes and dozing, but making no attempt to hunt himself. 7 am.: No sign of the Falcon. The Tiercel has gone to sleep on C and the young are getting restless. 7.20 am.: The Falcon arrives and