332 THE RIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISEES. 



and Ireland. The Greenland Falcon breeds in northern 

 Greenland and Arctic North America, and is forced to be 

 more migratory owing to the more rigorous conditions in 

 winter. It regularly visits western Europe, and is an almost 

 annual bird of passage in spring and autumn in Scotland and 

 its islands. In Ireland it is not uncommon, and from time to 

 time birds are seen in England and Wales. 



In bearing when perched, in dash and ferocity when stooping 

 on their prey, in angry cries, and so far as is known in breeding 

 habits, these two differ little from our Peregrine. Large birds 

 and mammals are attacked, the main food being hares, gulls, 

 (Guillemots, Puftins and waders ; Grouse, Ptarmigan and 

 rabbits in Britain. The white plumage of the Greenland 

 Falcon may be said to be " protective," not that so powerful 

 a bird needs protection from enemies, but that its plumage in 

 a land of snow gives it a degree of invisibility which enables it 

 to approach its prey and so obtain food. Owing to its magnifi- 

 cent powers of flight, the visiting Iceland or Greenland Falcon 

 avoids the gun more easily than some of the other birds of 

 prey ; it is not uncommon to hear of " white " Falcons seen 

 but not " obtained," most of which were, probably, Greenland 

 birds. 



The plumage of the Greenland Falcon is mostly while, except 

 for its dark primaries ; on the back are a few blackish-grey 

 bars, on the flanks a few spots, but no bars. The Iceland 

 Falcon is a much darker bird, brownish grey on the head and 

 back, and spotted and barred on its creamy white under parts; 

 the bars on the flanks are distinctive. In both the tail is barred, 

 but much more distinctly in the Iceland Falcon. The bill is 

 bluish horn, the cere, eye-rims, and legs yellow, the irides dark 

 brown. Immature birds are by no means easy to distinguish, 

 indeed they are liable to be confused with the Gyr- Falcon also. 

 They arc much browner, and their markings on both upper 

 and under surface browner and broader. The cere is bluish, 



