22 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



St Kilda. He states that several pairs occur there; that the 

 young have the upper parts grey all winter, and change to white 

 in summer; that he has been at the nest of one; and that the old 

 birds were so violent in their attacks that he had difficulty in 

 keeping them off with a stick." 



Mr J. H. Dunn informs me that a Gyr Falcon was seen fre- 

 quenting the island of Foula for three or four weeks. 



I have in my own collection a very handsome female bird of 

 this species, which was caught near Elgin in the autumn of 1865. 

 It had previously been wounded, and therefore could offer no re- 

 sistance to a party of passing workmen, who urged their dog to 

 attack it, and in this way secured the prize. 



THE ICELAND FALCON. 

 FA LOO ISLANDICUS. 



Between 1835 and 1851 several specimens of this Falcon were 

 shot in Eoss-shire, Sutherlandshire, and Inverness-shire; and 

 within the last four years I have satisfied myself that four or five 

 have been shot in the West of Scotland. One was killed by 

 Captain M'Rae on the island of Vallay, Outer Hebrides, in 

 September, 1865. It haunted the farm-yard for some time, and 

 was quite fearless in its attacks among the poultry killing a 

 great many chickens before meeting its fate. This bird is now in 

 the collection of Dr Dewar of Glasgow. Another, a fine male, 

 had been shot in October of the previous year in North Uist, by 

 Allan M'Lean, gamekeeper there ; and a third Hebridean specimen 

 was found washed ashore dead on the west side of the island 

 about the same time, but was not discovered until it had been 

 disfigured by hooded crows. It has likewise occurred on the 

 inner islands, as I have been informed by Mr Elwes, who 

 writes that " one which was shot in Islay is now in the museum 

 at Islay House." 



In September, 1866, another fine Iceland Falcon was caught in 

 a pole trap at Glendaruel, Argyleshire, but unfortunately this bird 

 was lost, the trap not having been looked at for some days after 

 it was sprung. The species, however, was identified beyond a 

 doubt. 



Dr Saxby, writing in October, 1865, observes that it is now 



