222 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



pounce upon a Puffin, as the latter bird was standing at the entrance of its 

 burrow, unaware of the approach of its enemy. The weight of the Puffin 

 seemed to form no impediment to tlie Hawl-c in its flight. 



The European Gerfalcons are said to seldom appear south of the 52d par- 

 allel of latitude, or north of 74°. They are nowhere numerous, and were 

 formerly much sought for, and purchased, at immense prices, for purposes of 

 falconry. Great differences were supposed to exist in regard to the habits 

 and other peculiarities of the several races. The Iceland Falcons com- 

 manded the highest prices, and were regarded as a species quite distinct 

 from the F. gyrfalca. The former was nmch the more valuable, both as 

 more rare, and as a bird of higher courage and of a more rapid and bolder 

 flight, and a bird that could, on that account, be " flown " successfully at 

 larger game. 



The Gerfalcons, in Europe, build on tlie rocky coasts of Norway and Ice- 

 land, and are said to defend their young with great courage and determina- 

 tion. They are comparatively rare in the British Islands, especially the 

 more southern portions. Even in the Orkneys it is only an occasional 

 visitor. 



All the eggs of the several forms of Gerfalcon that I have seen present 

 connnon characteristics, and do not differ from each other more than eggs 

 known to belong to the same species of Hawk are frequently found to vary. 

 One from Greenland, presumed to belong to the candicans, measures 2.37 

 inches in length by 1.71 in breadth. The predominant color of its mark- 

 ings is a deep reddish-brown, very generally and nearly equally diffused 

 over its surface, concealing the ground-color, which is lighter and of a yel- 

 lowish-brown shade. 



An eo-cf of the islcmdicus, from Iceland, has the same measurements, but 

 is so slightly yet uniformly marked with light yellowish-brown as to seem 

 to be of one color only, — a light brown, shaded with yellow. 



An egg from Norway, of the form gyrfalco, is 2.42 inches in length, 1.71 

 in breadth, has a ground-color of a dirty yellowish-white, and is marked 

 with spots, dottings, and confluent blotches of yellowish-brown, more so 

 about the larger end. 



The series of eggs of Fcdco sacer in the Smithsonian Collection exhibits the 

 following range of variation in size, color, and markings : length, from 2.30 to 

 2.45 inches ; breadth, 1.60 to 1.90 inches ; ground-color usually a light red- 

 dish-ochre, varying to pinkish on the one hand, and to rufous on the other. 

 They are usually sprinkled all over with small spots, which are sometimes 

 not distinguishable from the ground-color when this is very deep, and again 

 larger and quite conspicuous. 



An egg of the variety candicans, from Greenland (No. 2,606, S. I.), meas- 

 ures 2.25 inches by 1.80. In color and in markings it is like the average 

 eggs of variety sacer, namely, pale rufous, sprinkled over with a slightly 

 deeper shade. 



