GYR-FALCON. 39 



surement one inch seven-eighths ; both are mottled nearly 

 all over with pale reddish brown on a dull white ground ; 

 they are larger than those of the Peregrine Falcon, but 

 very similar in shape and colour, as well as in the mode in 

 which the colour is disposed over the surface. 



These birds defend their young with great courage and 

 perseverance. Sir John Richardson says, " In the middle 

 of June, 1821, a pair of these birds attacked me as I was 

 climbing in the vicinity of their nest, which was built 

 on a lofty precipice on the borders of Point Lake, in 

 latitude 65 . They flew in circles, uttering loud and 

 harsh screams, and alternately stooping with such velocity, 

 that their motion through the air produced a loud rushing 

 noise : they struck their claws within an inch or two of 

 my head. I endeavoured, by keeping the barrel of my 

 gun close to my cheek, and suddenly elevating its muzzle 

 when they were in the act of striking, to ascertain whether 

 they had the power of instantaneously changing the direc- 

 tion of their rapid course, and found that they invariably 

 rose above the obstacle with the quickness of thought, 

 showing equal acuteness of vision and power of motion. 

 Although their flight was much more rapid, they bore 

 considerable resemblance to the Snowy Owl." 



This species appears but very seldom in the southern 

 parts of the British Islands. Dr. Edward Moore of Ply- 

 mouth has recorded a notice of one taken in Devonshire 

 so lately as the year 1834. Dr. Borlase, in his History 

 of Cornwall, refers to the occurrence of one at Helston. 

 The bird from which the representation here given was 

 made, was killed in Pembrokeshire, on the estate of the 

 Earl of Cawdor, by whom the specimen was presented to 

 the Zoological Society. In Ireland, Mr. Thompson has 

 noticed two occurrences of the Gyr-Falcon : one in 1803 

 and another in 1837. 



