THE FALCON. gir

battle was obstinate, and conducted with equal address on
both sides. The serpent, feeling at last his inferiority,
endeavoured to regain his hole; while the bird apparently
guessing his design, stopped him on a sudden, and cut off
his retreat by placing herself before him at a single leap.
On whatever side the reptile endeavoured to make his escape,
the enemy still appeared before him. Rendered desperate, the
serpent resolved on a last effort. He erected himself boldly
to intimidate the bird, and hissing dreadfully, displayed his
menacing throat, inflamed eyes, and a head swollen with rage
and venom. The bird seemed intimidated for a moment,
but soon returned to the charge; and covering her body with
one of her wings as a buckler, struck her enemy with the
bony protuberance of the other. M. Vaillant saw the serpent
at last stagger and fall; the conqueror then fell upon him
to despatch him, and with one stroke of her beak laid open
his skull.”

Tho Kite. The Kite is common in Europe and is some-
Tho Osprey. timesseen in Scotland. It is a bird of the Hawk
The Buzzard. jing and may easily be distinguished from other
birds of prey by its forked tail and the slow and circular
eddies it describes in the air whenever it spies its prey.
It measures about two feet in length. The Osprey is common
in Europe and America. It feeds principally upon fish, in
pursuit of which it frequents the sea coast and the borders
of lakes and rivers. It is about two feet in length. The
common Buzzard is rather smaller, measuring twenty or twenty-
two inches. It nests on high trees and watches on overhanging
branches for any prey that may pass beneath. The Marsh
Harrier which measures twenty-one to twenty-three inches
is a formidable foe to moles and mice, rabbits and reptiles.

The Falcon, The Peregrine Falcon so famous in the days
of Falconry is a fearless bird and does not hesitate to attack
those of much larger size. For this reason it was often
employed in hunting the Heron. “In this contest,” says