4954 Tue ZooLocist—Junez, 1876. 
streaks; belly white, each feather with a diamond-shaped spot, small up- 
wards, but increasing in size all the way to the vent; on the sides the spots 
are larger and of irregular shape; the boot is spotted, but feathers in front 
of tarsi white; top of head gray, centre of each feather dark slate-colour, 
margined with white; ear-coverts much lighter than top of head; back and 
wing-coverts dark slate-colour and white, forming irregular bars across the 
back; rump and upper tail-coverts a lighter colour, without any white, the 
quill of each feather, from the shoulder to the tail, black, showing a distinct 
line in each feather; tail gray, with dark bands; under wing-coverts -white, ‘ 
spotted and streaked very much like the curlew or whimbrel, and the bird 
on the wing had the appearance of being all white. Now I want to know 
if it is the Greenland or Iceland falcon? ‘The bird on its legs by my side 
is asplendid specimen, and though not set up as in either of Yarrell’s plates, 
yet as I look at it, even to the very cere, it looks a Greenland in comparing 
it with the plates; but then come the under tail-coverts, which are spotted, 
and of the quill-feathers the second is the longest, but the first and third 
are not of equal length. I have described the bird as well as I can; perhaps 
some day an abler pen than mine may do it more justice. Previous to its 
capture it had been about here over a month, and was very wary and shy— 
no getting a shot at it. I believe it was never fired at but once, so it grew 
bold, and on the 7th it stooped and caught a pheasant by the ramp: away 
it went, with the pheasant all legs and wings, until the feathers gave way. 
The falcon was disappointed of its prey, and the feathers blew over the field, 
but on the 10th he struck a hen pheasant dead, seized her in his talons, and 
flew away with her. On the 11th he came for another, when he received 
the contents of the keeper’s gun.— James Couch ; Guernsey, April 22, 1876. 
Greenland Falcon in Scotland.—A fortnight ago a fine specimen of this 
rare and noble visitor was sent me alive; it had been caught in a gin, on 
the 20th of April, in Argyleshire. It is now in the Clifton Zoological 
Gardens. The following is a description of the bird:—Almost entirely 
white, spotted with brownish longitudinal marks, disposed in the middle of 
each feather, on the back and wings. Back of the head and neck also white, 
faintly streaked down the middle of each feather with brown. Throat, 
breast and vent pure white, very faintly marked at the sides, which latter 
marks are hid by the wings. ‘Tail, upper and lower tail-coverts pure white, 
without any marks. Irides dark brown; bill pale grayish horn, darker at 
the tip and deeply notched; feet grayish white; claws grayish horn colour. 
Comparing the above with Mr. Newton's description of the Greenland 
falcon, I believe I am correct in assigning it to that species, and if, as 
I hope, the bird will do well in its present home, I shall have the oppor- 
tunity of recording the change of plumage at the next moult, when it 
should assume transverse markings, and the feet become gradually pale 
yellow.—H. J. Charbonnier ; Bristol. 
