FALCONS. 179 



the Iceland falcon {F. islandicus) the beak and claws are of a dusky horn colour, 

 and the plumage darker than the last ; its ground-colour being brown in the young 

 and grey in the adult. Moreover, in the adult the flanks have transverse arrow- 

 head dark bars, and the tail is likewise barred ; the crown of the head being lighter 

 coloured than the back. In young birds the dark markings on the under-parts 

 are longitudinal ; this change from longitudinal to transverse bars being common 

 in the group. The home of this bird is Iceland, from which a certain number of 

 individuals migrate to the south-east, a few from time to time reaching Britain. 

 The Norway, or true gerfalcon (F. gyrfalco), is a somewhat larger bird than the last, 

 with the crown of the head as dark as or even darker than the back, and the whole 

 tone of the plumage tending more to brown. It has also frequently a distinct 

 cheek-stripe; while the wings are relatively longer, and the tail shorter. This 

 falcon inhabits all Northern Europe and Asia, as well as North America, and 

 migrates southwards in winter, although not reaching Britain. It is replaced on the 

 Labrador coast by the still darker Labrador falcon. The habits of all the gerfalcons 

 are probably very similar ; although, from the general absence of trees in its native 

 country, the Greenland species is compelled to breed exclusively on cliffs, while the 

 others often resort to trees. The eggs are usually three or four in number, and are 

 of a creamy white ground-colour, blotched with cinnamon or reddish brown. All 

 of them are extremely shy, but display great boldness in defence of their nest, 

 circling round the head of the aggressor with loud screams. When sitting on its 

 nest in the snow, with its white breast towards the hunter, the Greenland falcon 

 will often escape detection. Their prey consists chiefly of water-fowl and ptarmigan. 

 Gerfalcons, and especially the white kind, were formerly much esteemed in 

 falconry, and commanded high prices ; the white Greenland falcons imported to 

 the Continent being captured in Iceland. Although larger and more powerful 

 birds, all the gerfalcons lack the supreme dash and " go " of the peregrine ; and 

 their former estimation was probably mainly owing to their size and beauty. 



The large and handsome falcon, known as the saker (Falco 

 sacer), a term apparently derived from the Arabic, is a southern 

 form, agreeing with the gerfalcons in the proportionate length of its toes and 

 wings, but differing markedly in its plumage. In length the male saker measures 

 upwards of 18^ inches, while the female falls but little short of 25 inches. By 

 this large size and the relative length of the claws, the saker may be readily 

 distinguished from all the other falcons of Europe and Asia. In its ordinary 

 dress, as shown in the accompanying figure, it is further characterised by the 

 upper surface of the tail - feathers, instead of being completely barred, having 

 whitish bars on the inner webs, and spots on the outer ones ; these spots being 

 especially marked in the middle pair. Then again the cheek-stripe, if present at 

 all, is very narrow. The head is pale rufous, sometimes turning nearly white, with 

 narrow black stripes along the middle of the feathers. The general colour of the 

 upper-parts is pale brown, with the feathers margined with rufous ; while the 

 quills are darker brown, with white or rufous markings, and the pale tail ornamented 

 in the manner noticed. The sides of the face and throat are white ; while the rest 

 of the under-parts are whitish, with longitudinal streaks of brown, which are 

 largest on the flanks and abdomen. The cere and feet are yellow, while the beak 



