52 FALCON ID ^. 



this tint full3\ The claws are of a dark horn-colour, almost 

 black. The irides are dark. 



The young, also figured in the woodcut, resemble the old 

 as to the head, but up to the time of their first moult, the 

 upper surface of the body is almost entirely devoid of the 

 banded plumage which characterizes the plumage of matu- 

 rity, and, except for the dirty or ochreous-white border of 

 each feather, would be of an uniform dull brown. The 

 quills are much the same as in the adult, but there is an 

 entire absence of the bluish tinge. Beneath, the colouring 

 is generally much darker than in the adult, each feather 

 bearing a broad longitudinal mark of dark brown. The bill 

 resembles that of the adult, but the cere, tarsi and feet are 

 bluish-grey. 



Examples of the Iceland Falcon are occasionally found 

 showing a tendency to albinism, having perhaps two or 

 three feathers on one side nearly pure white, while the 

 corresponding ones on the other side are normal in their 

 colouring. At other times the pied markings are more 

 regularly disposed ; and it was a specimen so diversified which 

 led Mr. Hancock into the error, w^hich he afterwards corrected 

 as before mentioned. 



The whole length of the adult female is about twenty-five 

 inches ; the wing, from the carpal joint, is over sixteen 

 inches. The male is from twenty to twenty-one inches in 

 length, with a wing of about fourteen inches. 



