NORWEGIAN JER-FALCON. 21 
names of Falco Greenlandicus and Falco Islandicus ; the former being 
the light-coloured species, or, as Mr. H. subsequently described it — 
"having white feathers with dark markings" — the latter the darker 
bird — having "dark feathers with light markings;" and these differences, 
in the last paper referred to, Mr. Hancock says exist at all ages, and 
are permanent and specific distinctions. 
In 1844 Schlegel published his "Revue Critique des Oiseaux d' 
Europe," and subsequently his splendid "Traite de Fauconnerie," in 
which he describes, and in the latter illustrates with beautiful drawings 
by Wolff, three distinct species of Jer-Falcon, under the names of 
Falco Candicans, f Greenlandicus of Hancock;) Falco Islandicus, 
(Islandicus of Hancock;) and Falco Gyr-falco, the subject of the 
present notice. 
In 1854 Mr. Hancock published a second paper in the "Annals," 
in which he corrects some important mistakes he had made in his first, 
regarding the plumage of the whiter species when young. Mr. H. 
having had an opportunity of examining upwards of one hundred and 
fifty specimens, is now quite convinced that the Iceland and Greenland 
Falcons are distinct species or races; that the Greenland Falcon is never 
dark like the Iceland, however young; and that the adult is distin- 
guished more by the difference of shape in the markings, than by the 
colour. 
This, I believe, is the position in which this interesting discussion 
now stands. I will not offer any further observations about the Green- 
land and Iceland birds, but proceed to lay before my readers a history 
of, and Schlegel's description of the third species, the Norwegian Jer- 
Falcon. 
Buffon gives two figures of this bird; one of a young subject under 
the name of Norwegian Falcon, and the adult simply as Ger-Falcon. 
Linnaeus appears to describe the female of adult age under the name 
of Rusticolus, and the young male as Lanarius. His diagnoses are 
Falco rusticolus.— F. cera palpebris pedibusque luteis, corpore cinereo 
alboque undulato, collari albo. Falco lanarius. — F. cera lutea pedibus 
rostroque cceruleis, corpore subtus, maculis nigris longitudinalibus. 
The name of Jer-Falcon used to be applied indiscriminately to all 
the three races or species. Schlegel proposes to confine it entirely 
to the true Jer, the Norway species. The name is supposed by some 
to be derived from Gyrau, because the bird rises in circles as it 
pursues its prey. About the twelfth century these birds were brought, 
for the purposes of Falconry, from the North of Europe and the Low 
Countries, to all other European nations, even to the Levant. 
Schlegel suggests that those ancient Falconers may have given the 
