THE GYR FALCON. 



Falco gyrfaho. — Linnvkus. 



HE Gyr Falcon, or Jer Falcon, 

 stands at the head of the Fal- 

 conidae, and is one of the hand- 

 somest and boldest of our 

 British birds; indeed, the family 

 to which it belongs may be 

 safely described as the most 

 fully developed in strength, 

 daring, symmetry, and powers 

 of flight of all the feathered 

 tribes. We learn that in the 

 palmy days of English falconry 

 this bird was imported from 

 Norway for the purposes of 

 sport ; and great care, patience, 

 and attention were bestowed on 

 its training. But these times 

 have long since passed away ; 

 the bird itself, as far as this 

 country is concerned, is growing 

 rarer and more difficult to 

 obtain, and seems to be yielding 

 to that gradual extinction 

 which has long since overtaken the sport with which it 



