252 TEN YEAES IN SWEDEN. 



full number; but except in the sandpipers and plovers, 

 many birds often sit upon less than the full number. 

 2. FALCO GYRFALCO, Miss. (Candicans, Islandicus, Greenlandi- 

 cusj Rusticolus) . Jagtfalk, Sw. The Iceland Fal- 

 con. D. F. 



Nilsson, who considers this and the last as nothing more 

 than varieties of the same bird, gives us measurements and 

 descriptions of fourteen specimens (some of which doubtless 

 came from Lapland). They appear to comprise all the shades 

 of colour to which this bird is subject, and to vary in size 

 from 20 in. to 27 in. He does not, however, state that a 

 single one was killed on the Scandinavian fells. Some are 

 from Greenland, some from Iceland, and many (young birds) 

 were shot in Scania. Now, this does not help to clear up 

 the point one bit, for no one denies that the Iceland and 

 Greenland birds are subject to great variation in colour, or 

 that this new Norwegian Jer falcon does not resemble the 

 Greenland and Iceland birds in a certain state of plumage. 

 What we want to prove is that this dark-coloured falcon 

 which breeds on the Scandinavian fells, when mature, is 

 never so white as either the old Greenland or Iceland falcon, 

 that it is never so large, and that, in fact, at all ages, it more 

 resembles the peregrine than either of the other two named 

 falcons. This can only be done by a careful study of the 

 bird in its native home, and the examination of undoubted 

 specimens killed on the Scandinavian fells, at all ages and 

 in all stages of plumage ; and this will be a work of time 

 and trouble. 



Kjarbolling's description of the three forms is as fol- 

 lows ; and I insert his description in preference to Nilsson' s, 

 because he clearly identifies the bird he is describing, which 

 Nilsson does not : 



" Jagtfalk. Falco Gyrfalco, L. Fal. Islandicus, Lath. 

 Falco Candicans , Gmel. (Old Male) . Cere, eye-lids and the 

 large feet, blue ; after that greenish ; in old age pale yellow. 

 Tail longer than the wings, marked with from twelve to 

 fourteen brown or white transverse bands. Old bird, white 

 above, brown spotted ; middle-aged bird brown-grey above 



