50 FALCONING. FALCO. 



rally opposite, but sometimes alternate, the lower parts yel- 

 lowish-white, longitudinally spotted with dusky. 



Male, 21, . ., 15^, 24, 2, 1. Female, 23, 51-|-. 



This species, the most powerful, and one of the most beau- 

 tiful of its genus, has frequently been met with in various 

 parts of Scotland as well as in England, although it can 

 scarcely be considered as a permanent resident, there being 

 no authentic account of its breeding Avith us. It occurs in 

 Norway, Sweden, and several of the northern countries of 

 Europe ; in Iceland, Greenland, Labrador, and the fur coun- 

 tries of North America. 



Jer Falcon. Jerkin. Iceland Falcon. Greenland Falcon. 



Falco Gyrfalco and rusticolus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 130, 125. 

 Falco islandicus, Temm. Mann. d'Ornith. i. 17 ; iii. 9. Falco 

 Gyrfalco, Gyr Falcon, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, iii. 284, 



II. FALCO PEREGRINUS. PEREGRINE FALCON. 



Wings when closed about half an inch shorter than the 

 tail. Adult male with the head, hind neck, and a broad band 

 on the cheeks, black, the upper parts deep bluish-grey, fading 

 behind into ash-grey, and barred with greyish-black, the 

 lower parts white, the breast and sides transversely spotted 

 and barred with dusky. Female with the upper parts more 

 dusky, the lower reddish-white, with larger markings. Young 

 with the upper parts deep brownish-black, faintly spotted 

 with reddish, each feather tipped with light red, the lower 

 parts yellowish- white, with longitudinal dusky streaks. 



Male, 16J, 364, ^b l j?> ly 9 ** 2, T V ^ Female, 19|, 42. 



Equal in beauty of form, and little inferior in strength or 

 spirit, the Peregrine Falcon is next in size to the Gyr Falcon, 

 which it nearly equals in the estimation of those who train 

 rapacious birds for the chase. Although nowhere very nume- 

 rous, it is extensively distributed in Britain and Ireland. It 

 preys upon ptarmigans, partridges, grouse, pheasants, mal- 

 lards, teal, pigeons, gulls, puffins, auks, guillemots, rabbits, 

 and young hares. Its flight is rapid, its course desultory, 

 seldom in circles, although it sometimes hovers. It reposes 

 on cliffs, whether on the coast or in the interior, and there 

 nestles, laying three or four broadly elliptical eggs, 2 inches 

 in length, 1 T V in breadth, dull light red, dotted and patched 

 with darker red. 



Blue Hawk. Grey Hawk. Hunting Hawk. Goshawk. 

 Falcon. Common Falcon. 



Falco peregrinus, Lath. Ind. Ornith. i. 33. Falco pere- 



