BIRDS OF GUERNSEY. 7 



game-birds which had been imported and preserved 

 in that island, as the keeper saw them kill more 

 than one Pheasant before he shot this bird. The 

 other fortunately escaped. The bird which was 

 killed is now in my possession, and is a fully adult 

 Iceland Falcon, and Mr. Couch, the bird-stuffer 

 who skinned it, informed me a male by dissection. 

 Though to a certain extent I have profited by it, so 

 far as to have the only Channel Island example of 

 the Iceland Falcon in my possession, I cannot help 

 regretting that this bird was killed by the keeper, 

 as it seems to me not impossible that the two birds 

 being together in the island so late as the llth of 

 April, and certainly one, probably both, being adult, 

 and there being plenty of food for them, might, if 

 unmolested, have bred in the island. Perhaps, 

 however, this is too much to have expected so far 

 from their proper home. It would, however, have 

 been interesting to know how late the birds would 

 have remained before returning to their northern 

 home ; but the breeding- season for the Pheasants 

 was beginning, and this was enough for the keeper, 

 as he had actually seen two or three Pheasants 

 some hens killed before he shot the Falcon. As 

 these Falcons can only be considered very rare 

 accidental visitants to the Islands, it may be inter- 

 esting to some of my readers to mention that they 

 may distinguish them easily by colour, the Green- 

 land, Falco candicans, being always the most white, 



