RAMBLTN'O UEFI.F.CTIONS AMIDST SNOW AND FROST., 71 



Ere yet the shadows fly, he mounted sings 

 Amid the dawning clouds, and from their haunts 

 Calls up tlie tuneful nations. 



Oil, how sad it is to think how few of these " tuneful nations " are left to us! 

 Howevei*, let us gratefully make much of the survivors. Their notes shall 

 be doubly sweet. 



Hammersmith, Feb. IPtth, 1855. 



The Oyr Falcon. (Falco Islandicus.) — A fine specimen of this rare and noble 

 bird was shot on the 25th November, by a person named Dixon, near Robin 

 Hood's Bay, on the moors of Sir J. V. B. Johnstone, Bart., M.P. It is an adult 

 female, and is in the finest plumage. The beak very pale blue colour; the 

 cere rich yellow; irides nearly black; the head, neck, breast, and lower parts 

 of the body white ; the feathers on the thighs are long and white ; all the 

 upper parts of the body and wings are white, sparingly marked with arrow 

 streaks of black; the tail has no bars, but is plain white; the legs are yellow; 

 the claws brown. The stomach, on dissection, was found to be stuffed with 

 the entrails of some animal, probably those of a hare. Weight, 31bs. 3oz. ; 

 length, from the point of the beak to the end of the tail, 20f inches ; measure- 

 ment from tip to tip of wrings, when extended, 3ft. lOin. Sir John Johnstone 

 has forwarded the bird to Mr. A. Roberts, King-street, Scarborough, to be 

 stuffed. Yarrell, in his " History of British Birds," remarks, " Of the true 

 Falcons w^hich the British Islands produce, the Gyr Falcon may be con- 

 sidered one of the most typical in form, as it is the largest in size. It is an 

 inhabitant of Europe and North America; seldom appearing south of 52° of 

 latitude, or north of 74°." Large sums were formerly expended, in procviring 

 specimens from Iceland and Norway, for various potentates of Europe, who 

 ■were then devoted to falconry. The Gyr Falcons were used to hunt the Crane, 

 Stork, Heron, and Wild Goose. The ancient amusement of falconry is now 

 little cared for; but, to those who may wish to be informed on this svibject, 

 Sir John Sebright's " Observations on Hawking," and Turbevill among olden 

 writers, are the best authorities. — R. B. Cooke, Scarborough, Dec. 7th, 1854. 



Temminck's Stint. (Tringa Temmiucikii ) — This bird was shot at Wisbeach, 

 Oct. 11th, 1854, by — Whiting, Esq ; it is now in my possession. — S. P. Savill, 

 13, Regent-street, Cambridge. 



Hie Oray Phalarope, (Phalaropus lobatus,) near Louth. — On the 13th of 

 November, a specimen of the Gray Phalarope was brought to me for pre- 

 servation, by H. Allenby, Esq., by whom it had been shot the same day, 



