GYR FALCON. 155 



latitude 65^°. They flew in circles, uttering loud and 

 harsh screams, and alternately stooping with such velo- 

 city, 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 gun close to my cheek, and suddenly ele- 

 vating its muzzle when they were in the act of striking, 

 to ascertain whether they had the power of instanta- 

 neously changing the direction of their rapid course, 

 and found that they invariably rose above the obstacle 

 with the quickness of thought, shewing equal acute- 

 ness of vision and power of motion." 



Mr Audubon, who found it breeding on the coast of 

 Labrador in 1833, states that its flight resembles that 

 of the Peregrine Falcon, but is more elevated and ra- 

 pid ; that, when proceeding directly to a certain point, 

 it seldom sailed, but used a constant beat of the wings ; 

 and that, after balancing itself in the air over a puffin 

 standing on the ground near its burrow, it would de- 

 scend upon it with astonishing rapidity, and shaking its 

 feathers while ascending with its prey, carry it oflPwith 

 the greatest ease. JVlr Jones, who had been a resident 

 in Labrador for twenty years, informed him that this 

 species, which the fishermen called the Duck Hawk, 

 destroys there an immense number of hares, rock par- 

 tridges, and willow grous. 



Propagation. — The Gyr-Falcon, according to the 

 authors mentioned above, breeds in the inaccessible 

 parts of rocks; but I am not aware that any person has 

 described its nest or eggs from personal observation. 

 Dr Fleming, whose short account of this species seems 



