BRITISH BIRDS. 125 



October, 1867, is figured in Babington's "Birds of Suffolk," 

 and was also examined by Seebohm. This is the true 

 F. gyrfalco of Linnaeus, closely allied to H. islandus, 

 but smaller and darker. 



176a. Hierofaleo gyrfaleo islandus (Gmel). 



ICELAND FALCON. 



Hab. Iceland and South Greenland. Wandering 

 southward in winter. 



Although this form is included in the B. O. U. List 

 as an apparent species, all the Grey Falcons are too 

 closely related to be specifically separated, and the Ice- 

 land Falcon must therefore be classed as a sub-species 

 of H. gyrfalco, since the latter was the earliest-described 

 form. The present race is distinguished from H. candicans 

 by having general tint of upper parts deep grey, with 

 short blackish bars or spots on all the feathers ; tail 

 with 8 or 10 transverse bars under parts greyish-white, 

 with longitudinal dark spots and short bars on the flanks ; 

 bill lead colour iris deep brown ; cere and feet bluish- 

 grey. Length 21*50. Female : similar in plumage. 

 Length 24*00. 



A rare winter visitor, but it has occurred at long 

 intervals in most parts of the British Isles. 



177. Hierofaleo eandieans (Gmel). GREENLAND 

 FALCON. 



Hab. Greenland and Arctic America. Wandering 

 southward in winter. 



Readily distinguishable from the Grey Falcons owing 

 to the fact that ground tint of upper as well as lower 

 parts is white at all ages ; the upper parts are marked 

 much as in the Iceland Falcon, but the lower parts are 

 much more sparingly spotted ; cere and tarsi appear to 



