TUE CiYU-FALOON. 



The command wliich these birds have of the aii- is truly wonderful. A few strokes of 

 their powerful wings will send them up till they are hardly visible, or bring them from 

 the top of their flight to witliin a short distance of the gi'ound. At times they will ride 

 motionless, and anon, with hardly any perceptible motion of their mngs, they will shoot 

 with the rapidity of a meteor, and vfith greater certainty than an arrow from the bow of 

 a skilfiJ archer. The collision of theii- pomice is terribly effective. Surprising is the 

 force that can break a wing, strike off a head, or burst a bird asunder, when it is not 

 merely suspended in the air, but in rapid motions away from the striker. 



Belm traces the origin of the name of this bird to the word gi/ps, a vulture, and falco. 

 The word gyr falco seems immediately formed from geyer, the German for a vulture, and 

 falco. It is also called, however, the Iceland falcon.* 



The gyr-falcon is one of the boldest and most powerful of the class. This fine species 

 seems now confined almost entirely to the most northern parts of Em-ope and America. 

 It is well known in Iceland and Greenland, and was often seen by Dr. Richardson during 

 his journeys over the barren grounds of North America, where it preys habitually on 

 ptai-migan, not, however, despisuig plovers, ducks, and geese. " In the middle of Jime," 

 he observes, " a pair of these birds attacked me as I was climbing in the vicinity of their 

 nest, which was built on a lofty precipice on the borders of Point Lake, in latitude 651". 

 They flew in circles, uttering loud and harsh screams, and alternately stooping mth such 

 velocity that their motion through the air produced a loud rushing noise ; they struck 

 their claws within an inch or two of my head. I endeavoured, by keeping the barrel of 

 my gim close to my cheek, and suddenly elevating its muzzle when they were in the act 

 of striking, to ascertain whether they had the power of instantaneously changing the 

 direction of their rapid course, and found that they mvariably rose above the obstacle 

 with the qmckness of thought, showing equal acuteness of vision and power of motion. 

 Although theu' flight was much more rapid, they bore considerable resemblance to the 

 snowy owl." The doctor adds, that when the gyr-falcon pounces down upon a flock of 

 ptarmigan, the latter endeavour to save themselves by diving instantly into the loose 

 snow, and making their way beneath it to a considerable distance. 



The gyr-falcon is one of the most esteemed of rapacious birds for the purposes of 

 falconry. When at liberty, it preys on nothing but birds, and it will attack some of 

 large size, as the heron and the stork. It Idlls hares by dropping perpendicularly upon 

 them, and is so ardent in pursuit of its prey, that after having torn one m pieces, it often 

 abandons it to give chase to another. In the north of Russia, they take the gyr-falcons 

 with nets, above wliich they suspend waving feathers to packthreads extended from one 

 tree to another, at the same time fastening pigeons to the gi-ound to serve as a bait. 



* Fali'O Islandicus. Lath. 



