the aid of a pocket-telescope, I had the satisfaction of identifying his species with certainty. Again, on July the 13th, 1833, when crossing the ferry near the junction of the river Bann with the ocean, I was attracted by the near call of a curlew, and on looking round, saw coming towards us what at first appeared to be two of these birds, flying close together, just above the water. I was surprised to see the foremost dip in the river like a swal- low, fly on a short way, and then repose on the water : the other bird, which proved to be a peregrine falcon, now gave up the chase, and sweeping past us, alighted on the beach at some dis- tance. The curlew now finding it was safe, rose from the river and flew back in the direction whence it had been pursued.
On the 12th of December, 1845, a wild "falcon" was ob- served flying over the grounds of Tort William, near Belfast, towards the bay, where some days before a tercel * was seen in pursuit of a redshank- or dunlin, for a very longtime. When the hawk made a swoop at its "quarry" on the bank, the redshank dashed into the water ; but whenever its enemy retreated, the dry land was sought again, and no sooner done, than the hawk endea- voured to seize it. This proceeding was repeated on the part of both, until eventually the hawk succeeded in capturing its victim before it could reach the water. On the 16th of the same month, a peregrine falcon, — most probably the same individual, — as the visits of the species are very "few and far between," was shot near Clifden, on the opposite side of the bay, when carrying off a redshank.
The finest chase by the peregrine falcon of which I have heard, was communicated to me by Richard Langtry, Esq., on Ins re- turn from Inverness-shire, after the shooting season of 1838. On the first day, in the beginning of August, that he went out from Aberarder towards Loch Ruthven, he observed an eyrie of these birds in the mountain cliffs on its western side. Among those which darkly beetle above Loch Cor, on the opposite side, a pair formerly nestled. The old pair were seen that day. One
Tercel is the name applied in falconry to the male, as Falcon is to the female
of this species.
