GYR FALCON. 285 



The Gyr Falcon, tlio most powerful, and one of the most 

 beautiful species of its genus, lias frequently been met with in 

 various parts of Scotland, as well as in England, although it 

 can scarcely be considered as a permanent resident, there being 

 no authentic account of its breeding with us. Formerly it 

 was divided into several species, and very recently attempts 

 have been made to separate its members into two, under the 

 names of Iceland Falcon and Greenland Falcon. Of the dif- 

 ferences which have given rise to this opinion some account 

 will be given in the sequel ; and as, in such a case as this, 

 minuteness of description is especially necessary, I shall give a 

 full account of the several specimens which I have examined. 



Male. — The general appearance of this bird is indicative of 

 the highest degree of activity and vigour, its form being re- 

 markably compact and robust, its neck short, its head rather 

 large, round, and flattened above. The bill is short, as broad 

 as high at the base, with the dorsal line of the upper mandible 

 decurved from the base, the sides convex, the edges thin and 

 overlapping, with a slight festoon, and a distinct angular pro- 

 cess, the tip trigonal, descending, acute, and rather short ; the 

 lower mandible with the angle formed by the separation of its 

 crura very wide, the dorsal line convex, the back very broad 

 at the base, the sides rounded, the tip directly truncate, with 

 a nearly semicircular notch behind it on each side. Palate 

 nearly flat, with two longitudinal papillate ridges; upper man- 

 dible with a prominent broad median ridge beneath ; lower 

 deeply concave. Cere of moderate breadth, and mostly bare. 

 Nostrils basal, lateral, round, with a central prominent papilla 

 terminating a ridge from the upper edge. Eyes large, with a 

 bare projecting superciliary ridge ; eyelids ciliated. Aperture 

 of the ear rather larfre and roundish. Lc^s robust, rather 

 short ; tibia very muscular ; tarsus feathered more than half- 

 way down, its exposed part covered with scales, of which the 

 anterior are larger, but not scutelliform ; toes strong, of mode- 

 rate length, padded and papillate beneath, scutellate above, 

 unless toward the base, where they are scaly ; the first too 

 short, the second much longer, and nearly as long as the fourth, 



