eight o'clock in the evening, he discovered a great cluster of house-
swallows, thirty at least he supposes, perching on a willow that
hung over the verge of James Knight's upper-pond. His attention
was first drawn by the twittering of these birds, which sat
motionless in a row on the bough, with their heads all one way,
and, by their weight, pressing down the twig so that it nearly
touched the water. In this situation he watched them till he could
see no longer. Repeated accounts of this sort, spring and fall,
induce us greatly to suspect that house-swallows have some strong
attachment to water, independent of the matter of food; and though
they may not retire into that element, yet they may conceal
themselves in the banks of pools and rivers during the
uncomfortable months of winter.

One of the keepers of Wolmer-forest sent me a peregrine falcon,
which he shot on the verge of that district as it was devouring a
wood-pigeon. The falco peregrinus, or haggard falcon, is a noble
species of hawk seldom seen in the southern counties. In winter
1767 one was killed in the neighbouring parish of Faringdon, and
sent by me to Mr. Pennant into North Wales.* Since that time I
have met with none till now. The specimen measured above was in
fine preservation, and not injured by the shot: it measured forty-two
inches from wing to wing, and twenty-one from beak to tail, and
weighed two pounds and an half standing weight. This species is
very robust, and wonderfully formed for rapine: its breast was
plump and muscular; its thighs long, thick, and brawny; and its legs
remarkably short and well set: the feet were armed with most
formidable, sharp, long talons: the eyelids and cere of the bill were
yellow; but the irides of the eyes dusky; the beak was thick and
hooked, and of a dark colour, and had a jagged process near the