312 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

Mr. Wood, “the Falcon was almost always victorious, and
after it had attained a sufficient altitude, it swept, or ‘stooped’,
as the phrase was, upon the Heron. When the Falcon had
closed with its prey, they both came to the ground together.
Sometimes, however, the wary Heron contrived to receive
its enemy on the point of its sharp beak, and transfixed
it by its own impetus.” This bird is from fifteen to eighteen
inches in length. Mr. Selby in his “Omithology” says, “In
daring disposition, this bird equals most of its congeners. I
may be allowed to add the following instance, as having
happened under my own observation, and as exemplifying
not only its determined perseverance in pursuit of its prey,
when under the pressure of hunger, but as arguing also an
unexpected degree of foresight:—In exercising my dogs upon
the moors, previous to the commencement of the shooting-
season, I observed a large bird of the hawk genus, hovering
at a distance, which, upon approaching, I knew to be a
Peregrine Falcon. Its attention was now drawn towards the
dogs, and it accompanied them, whilst they beat the surrounding
ground. Upon their having found, and sprung a brood of
grouse, the falcon immediately gave chase, and struck a
young bird, before they had proceeded far upon wing. My
shouts and rapid advance, prevented it from securing its
prey. The issue of this attempt, however, did not deter the
falcon from watching our subsequent movements, and another
opportunity soon offering, it again gave chase, and struck
down two birds, by two rapidly repeated blows, one of
which it secured, and bore off in triumph.”

The The Sparrow-hawk which measures from twelve
Sparrow to fifteen inches long is a terror to smaller
Hawk. birds, showing great pertinacity in their pursuit.

Mr. St. John says that one pursued a pigeon through his
“drawing-room window, and out at the other end of the
house through another window, and never slackened its
pursuit, notwithstanding the clattering of the broken glass of