240 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



I went very close to the tree without seeing any bird, and it 

 was not until I fired my gun over the nest that the female 

 flew off. I did not see her again until I was half way up the 

 tree, when both birds appeared on the scene, though at no 

 time did they come very near me. The eggs of the first set 

 measure 3.20 x 2.27 and 3.04 x 2.21. Second set:— 3.02 x 

 2.31, 3.03 X 2.20, 2.95 x 2.19." It seems possible that the 

 larger northern form Haliccehis leiicocephalus alascanus may 

 ultimately be taken here in winter. 



Subfamily FALCONING. Falcons. 

 Genus FALCO Linnaeus. 



Subgenus HIEROFALCO Cuvier. 



353. Falco islandus Brunn. White Gyrfalcon; Partridge 

 Hawk; Greenland Gyrfalcon. 



Plumage: "Prevailing color pure white ; the under tail coverts always, 

 the thighs usually unspotted ; the remainder of the plumage ordinarily more 

 or less marked with dusky or slaty ; but the crown, hind neck, and entire 

 lower parts nearly or quite immaculate in some old birds." (Brewster, Land 

 & Game Birds of N. E. p. 478). Wing of male 14.00 to 15.00 ; wing of female 

 15.00 to 16.50; tarsus 2.35. 



Geog. Dist. — Arctic regions, including Arctic America and Greenland, 

 wandering south in winter to Labrador and northern Maine. (A. 0. U. 

 Check-List) ; once taken in Maine. 



County Records. — Penobscot ; a specimen shot in South Winn, about Octo- 

 ber 8, 1893, by a Mr. Wyman is in Mr. Brewster's collection, (Brewster, Auk. 

 12, p. 180). 



This seems to be the only instance of this form straggling 

 to the United States. Mr. Brewster states that though too 

 dark-colored to be typical of the form it is nevertheless an 

 unmistakable example of F. islandus. The exact status and 

 relationship of the various Gyrfalcons is at present in a most 

 unsatisfactory state. 



That the arrangement and relationship adopted in the A. 

 O. U. List is correct is very doubtful. My own personal pref- 

 erence and ideas are strongly otherwise. As Mr. Hagerup 



