224 . The Keepers Tree. 



we have but one species common in England (the sparrow-hawk), 

 the tail extends two-thirds of its length beyond the closed wings. 

 In all the falcons, there is a sharp lip in the sides of the upper 

 mandible of the beak, which distinguishes them from any other 

 birds of prey. Moreover, in the falcons, the second wing feather 

 is longest, which is the case with no other of the birds of prey. 

 • The largest of tlie falcons is the gyrfalcon (we use this as a 

 common name), and without going into a description of the three 

 diiferent species (the Greenland, the Iceland, and the gyrfalcon), I 

 can only say, that if a keeper should chance to kill a white, blue- 

 grey, or white-spotted falcon, about two feet long, any collector 

 will willingly give him a good price for it as a British-killed 

 specimen. 



The peregrine-falcon is so rare in Britain that a British-killed 

 specimen should never decorate the branches of the " keeper's tree." 

 The peregrine is about sixteen inches long, with a broad black 

 moustache under the eyes. It is not likely to be confounded with 

 any other falcon except the last, from which, however, it may be 

 known at a glance by the tail, which, instead of being two inches 

 longer, is level with the closed wings. The young bird differs very 

 much in colour from the old, but the tail in both has several dark 

 bars across it. 



I cannot arrange the birds in this list scientifically, nor is it 

 necessary. I need only add that in keeper's parlance the term 

 ]iaw\ is applied to every genus in this family. 



The goshawk is larger than the peregrine, and without describing 

 it more minutely I will just say that if a keeper shoots a large 

 hawk, about two feet long, in which the tail extends two-thirds of 

 its whole length beyond the closed wings, he may be certain that 

 this is a goshawk j and if he shoots a smaller hawk, of about one 

 foot in length, in which the tail extends two inches beyond the 

 closed wings, it is the sparrow-hawk. 



The goshawk is rare in England, and a very old grey specimen, 

 which I have always found very difficult to obtain even in Sweden, 

 is well worth preserving. \\\ Sweden, where the goshawk abounds. 



