THE FALCONS 143 



THE FALCONS 

 [W. P. PYCRAFT] 



There can be no question but that the birds of prey known as 

 the " Falcons " form a very sharply defined group. And if they are 

 to be allowed no more than family rank and we think this is 

 sufficient it is a moot point whether the remaining families dealt 

 with in these pages should not be merged into one. That is to say, 

 the Vulturidae and Pandionidse should be regarded as subfamilies of 

 the family Buteonidse. From the evidence of anatomy this course is 

 certainly warranted ; but to this point we must return. 



Of the nine species of Falcons included in the list of British 

 Birds, but four have ever bred in these islands ; the remainder 

 are but casual visitors, and demand no more than a brief notice. 

 Three of these, the Greenland, Iceland, and grey gyr-falcons, have 

 given rise to the most lively discussions as to their claim to rank 

 as species, and it may well be that two of these, the Greenland and 

 Iceland falcons, should be regarded as so many geographical races of 

 a common form, while the grey gyr-falcon is undoubtedly distinct, 

 and may be regarded as a large peregrine. This is the rarest of them, 

 not more than four records of its capture in the British Islands being 

 known. The Greenland falcon is the most striking of all, from the 

 snow-white plumage attained by the adult bird, relieved only by a 

 few black streaks and spots on the upper surface. According to the 

 late Dr. Sharpe the gyr-falcons are to be regarded as giant kestrels, 

 but the coloration of the grey gyr-falcon (Hierofalco gyrfalco) does not 

 bear out this contention. All are boreal species, and in their immature 

 plumages are very similar. In their habits they closely resemble the 

 peregrine. 



From the whiteness of their plumage, writes Sir John Richardson 

 (Fauna Borealis} of the Greenland falcon, they are well adapted for 



