CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 1. RAPTORES. 



19 









THE PEREGRINE OR WANDERING FALCON. 



and spotted with white ; oeneath it is white, with heart-shaped spots, and bands alternately light 

 and dark on the tail. It is a native of Iceland, as its name indicates, but it sometimes migrates 

 to the south, though it is said never beyond 60° north latitude. It builds its nests on the loftiest 

 peaks of the mountains ; its eggs, to the number of three or four, are of a light yellowish red, 

 with close ocher-colored spots. Audubon describes two birds, a male and female, which he con- 

 siders of this species, shot by one of his party on the coast of Labrador, in 1833 ; a sketch of 

 their figures which he has given is presented at page 17. 



The Jerfalcon, jP. Gyrfalcon of Graelin, is eighteen inches long, of a brownish-blue above and 

 white-spotted beneath. Its proper locality is Norway, but it is sometimes seen in Germany and 

 France. The falconers used to obtain it from the remote, wild rocks of Scandinavia, where it 

 bred. It was less esteemed, however, than the two preceding kinds. 



The Peregrine or Wandering Falcon, the Faucon Pelerin of the French, the Wander 

 Falke of the Gc\va?kns, F.peregrinus^'is, eighteen inches long, of a brownish ash-color above; be- 

 neath, white with longitudinal stripes. It builds on high rocks, generally near the sea-coast, and 

 lays two to four whitish eggs, mottled with brown. It flight is rapid, and it descends on its prey 

 with almost inconceivable velocity. It feeds chiefly on gallinaceous birds, penguins, and watei-fowl. 

 It is found throughout Europe. 



The three first of the preceding species — that is, the White Falcon^ the Iceland Falcon, and 

 the Jerfalcon — though they appear to have been distinguished by falconers in former times, 

 have been regarded as one by many naturalists, but M. Schlegel has shown that they are really 

 distinct. The changes of plumage have led to confusion, so that one of them has fi-equently 

 been mistaken for the other. In their general qualities all the preceding species resemble each 

 other. All are exceedingly powerful birds, and of almost incredible swiftness of flight. They 

 were all used in falconry ; the Peregrine Falcon^ however, having been much more abundant than 

 the other species, and also of a more docile temper, was most frequently employed. The White 



