68 Falconidce. 



seldom that the Gyr-Falcon makes its appearance in England, 

 though in Scotland it is not very infrequent ; but I place it 

 among the birds that have occurred in Wiltshire without the 

 least hesitation, on the authority of Mr. Benjamin Hay ward, of 

 Easterton, than whom no one in the county has devoted more 

 attention to, or has had greater experience of, the whole family 

 Falconidce, as an out- door observer and accurate naturalist. 

 From him I learnt that he saw this fine, and, when once known, 

 unmistakable species in the neighbourhood of Cliffe Hall, at a 

 place called Ramscliffe, on the 9th December, 1842 ; but at the 

 time, having never seen or heard of the Gyr-Falcon, he mistook it 

 for an albino variety of the Peregrine, and marvelled at its beauty 

 and size. Farther inquiry, however, proved to him beyond a 

 doubt that it was a genuine Icelander. In France it is Faucon 

 Gerfaut de Norwfye ; in Germany Islandische Falke; in Italy 

 Sparviere bianco di Moscovia; but in Norway Jagt-Falk, ' Hunt- 

 ing Falcon,' and often called Rip-Falk, ' Ripa (or Ptarmigan) 

 Falcon/ from its special pursuit of that bird. 



4. PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus). 



Hitherto I have recorded the occurrence of species, all of which 

 have been only occasional and very rare stragglers in the county ; 

 now I come to one which is comparatively abundant, and may be 

 met with quite as much, if not more, in Wiltshire than in any 

 other part of England ; our wide open downs being, as I before 

 remarked, so admirably adapted to its habits. From its greater 

 abundance, as well as from its size and strength, the Peregrine has 

 been principally trained for falconry, and, among the few who still 

 pursue that noble sport, this is the species usually kept for the 

 purpose. It is, moreover, a docile, tractable bird, and repays the 

 trainer's care and attention by its remarkable courage, strength, 

 and activity in the chase, and no less peculiar teachableness and 

 obedience to his call. It received the specific name of ' Pere- 

 grine ' on account of its immense geographical range ; its won- 

 derful powers of flight, both as regards speed and endurance, 

 enabling it to traverse vast distances in an extremely short space 



