110 A HAND-LIST OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



FALCO RUSTICOLUS* 



230. — Falco rusticolus rusticolus L. — THE GYR-FALCON. 



Falco rusticolus Limia?us, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 88 (1758 — Sweden. 



cf. Fauna Suecica, ed. 11, p. 56). 



Falco gyrfalco Linnteiis, Saunders, p. 345. 



Distribution. — England. — Very rare vagrant. Two admitted by 

 Saunders : — Adult, Mayfield (Sussex), Jan., 1845 and young, Orford 

 (Suffolk), Oct., 1867. One Hatfield Broad Oak (Essex), Dec., 1901, 

 and another Thetford Warren (Norfolk) spring, 1883, doubtfully 

 authentic {Brit. B., i, p. 321). 



Distribution. — Abroad. — North Scandinavia and Lapland^ stray- 

 ing occasionally to Baltic Provinces, Poland, Germany, Denmark, 

 Heligoland, Belgium, and Holland. Said to have occurred in 

 Iceland and North America. 



231. Falco rusticolus islandus Briinn. — THE ICELAND 

 FALCON. 



Falco Islandus Briinnieh, Orn. Bor., p. 2 (1764 — partim, No. 9 only. 

 Briinnich doubtfully united the white and grey falcons, stating that the 

 various varieties were brought to Denmark by the Icelanders. From 

 Kerr — 1792 — onwards islandus has generally been restricted to the grey- 

 backed Iceland form). 

 Falco islandus J. F. Gmelin, Yarrell, i, p. 46 (part) ; Saimders, p. 343. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Rare vagrant. Identified examples 

 obtained from time to time (generally in winter) in Northumberland, 

 Westmorland, Yorks., Salop, Scilly Isles, and possibly Lines. ; in 

 Shetlands, Orkneys, O. and I. Hebrides, and several localities Scottish 

 mainland. Four times in north and west Ireland. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Appears to be the only form breeding in 

 Iceland, whence it strays very rarely southwards. 



232. Falco rusticolus candicans Gm.— THE GREENLAND 

 FALCON. 



Falco candicaxs Gmelin, Syst. Nat., i, p. 275 (1788 — "Habitat in 

 Islandia et Scotia boreali " ! As Gmelin distinguished between the 

 white candicans and the dark islandus, the former name has generally 

 been restricted to the Greenland form, though GmeUn did not know its 

 real habitat). 

 Falco candicans J. F. Gmelin, Yarrell, i, p. 36 ; Saunders, p. 341. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Irregular winter and spring-visitor, 

 chiefly Scotland (especially islands) and Ireland (especially north 



* It seems impossible to avoid this name, for gyrfalco is undoubtedly a 

 synonym, both names referring to Swedish birds in varioas pkmiages. — E.H. 



