126 BRITISH BIRDS. 



be yellowish in old birds, but in younger examples these 

 and the irides are as described for Iceland Falcon, the 

 length of adults also being usually nearly the same as 

 there given. Like the last a rare winter visitor. 



GENUS XCVII. FALCO, Linnseus (1766). 

 Bill rather short, strong, upper mandible decurved from 

 base, its cutting edges each side with a sharp and strong 

 tooth. Wings long, pointed. Tarsus short, strong ; toes 

 long ; claws much curved, sharp. 



178. Faleo peregrinus, Tunstall. PEREGRINE 

 FALCON. 



Hab. Northern Palaearctic region ; also Greenland. 



Male : cap and sides of head dull black, as is also a 

 moustache-like stripe running backward from the gape ; 

 remaining upper parts bluish-slate, with dusky bars on 

 the mantle ; tail with several bands of black ; throat 

 white, tinged with buff and sparingly striped with black ; 

 remaining under parts whitish, with dusky bars ; bill 

 bluish-black ; iris deep brown ; cere and feet yellow ; 

 claws black. Length 15*50. Female : similar in plumage. 

 Length 18*00. Young: feathers of upper parts brown, 

 with pale margins ; under parts with a yellowish tint 

 and dusky streaks ; cere and tarsi brownish. 



Still breeds sparingly along west side of Great Britain, 

 especially in Wales and Scotland ; also in many parts 

 of Ireland. Eggs : 2 to 4 ; usually laid on a ledge or 

 in a fissure in high cliffs ; if a nest of another bird is 

 not appropriated they are deposited in a hollow in the 

 scanty soil ; ground tint varies from yellowish to pale 

 rufous, closely spotted with reddish-brown of two shades ; 

 size 2*00 by i'6o. The same nesting site is resorted to 

 for many successive years. It is the falcon of mediaeval 

 falconry, and is a magnificent hunter. 



