FALCONID/E. 



333 



THE ICELAND FALCON. 

 Falco islaxdus, J. E. Gmelin. 



In the Iceland Ealcon the prevailing colour is either brown or 

 grey, according as the bird is young or old. The occurrences 

 of this species in the British Islands appear, so far as evidence goes, 

 to be less frequent than those of the Greenland Falcon ; but identi- 

 fied specimens have been obtained in several localities on the main- 

 land of Scotland, and in the Hebrides, including Skye and Islay ; 

 also in Northumberland, Yorkshire, and on Herm in the Channel 

 Islands. In Ireland genuine examples have been captured in 

 Donegal, Antrim, and near Belmullet and A\'cstport in co. Mayo 

 — the last in 1883. 



The typical form of this Falcon inhabits Iceland, where it breeds 

 in the precipitous cliffs above the numerous lakes — especially near 

 My-vatn, whence the late ^^'. Proctor of Durham used to receive 

 eggs and a few skins almost every year, after his visit to that locality. 



