3<X> CASSELL'S BOOK OF BIRDS. 



The Hunting Falcon and the Polar Falcon both inhabit Greenland and Iceland ; the Gier 

 Falcon, on the contrary, is met with in the most northerly parts of Scandinavia, Russia, and Siberia, 

 and, according to our own observations, is the only species of Hunting Falcon found in Lapland. We 

 must speak collectively of the habits of these three groups, concerning whose respective peculiarities 

 we are almost entirely without information. All appear to prefer such rocky localities as are in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the sea coast, and upon which hundreds and thousands of sea birds settle 

 during the breeding season ; nevertheless, they do not entirely avoid the wooded parts of the country, 

 for such amongst them as are too young to pair make long excursions inland, even occasionally visiting 

 the mountain ranges of the interior, amongst which the old birds are rarely or never seen. The 

 attachment of these various species to their breeding places is very remarkable ; they return to them 

 with such unfailing regularity that we were once accurately directed where to look for an eyrie, even 

 though our informant had neither seen the spot nor heard it spoken of for many years ; in their other 

 habits they closely resemble the Peregrine Falcon. 



During the summer months they subsist upon sea birds, in the winter upon Ptarmigans, and, 

 according to some naturalists, will devour hares, and live upon squirrels for whole months together. 

 We were on one occasion for three days in the vicinity of the Nyken (two mountains much frequented 

 by sea birds), and watched a pair of Gier Falcons come down morning after morning punctually at ten 

 o'clock, in order to obtain their breakfast. This was very speedily accomplished ; both took a rapid 

 survey of the feathered swarm they were about to attack, and then, swooping down with unerring aim, 

 carried off one bird after another until they had obtained the necessary supply. Holwell mentions 

 having seen a Polar Falcon pounce upon two Sea Gulls at the same time, and bear them away in 

 triumph one in each foot ; they are also said to destroy Pigeons. At the close of the breeding season 

 the Hunting Falcons often come down from their retirement and approach the dwellings of man, 

 towards whom they exhibit but little fear. When winter approaches they follow the Ptarmigans to their 

 retreats amongst the mountains, and so great is the dread in which the latter holds their cruel and 

 insatiable enemy, that they will frequently endeavour to bury themselves in the snow, if safety by flight 

 seems to be hopeless. When in pursuit of the squirrel their ordinary mode of attack would, of 

 course, be impossible, as the creature is protected by the sheltering trees ; the Hunting Falcons, 

 therefore, at once change their tactics, and display a patience and cunning in watching for and stealing 

 upon their victims that strikingly contrasts with their ordinary precipitate and open butchery. 



According to Faber, the True Hunting Falcon builds its large flat eyrie amid the fastnesses of 

 some inaccessible rock in the immediate vicinity of the ocean, whilst the Gier Falcon prefers to avoid 

 all the labour of preparation by taking violent possession of the nest of some large Crow. The eggs of 

 the Polar Falcon are laid about June or July, those of the Gier Falcon, according to Nardoi, are 

 usually laid as early as April, though we have found them in the month of July. The colour and size 

 of the eggs is very varied, but those of the Polar Falcon are largest, and have the roughest shelL 



Some centuries ago a Danish vessel called the Falcon Ship was sent every year to bring these 

 birds from Iceland, and live Falcons are still exported every year to Copenhagen. Large numbers are 

 killed in Iceland and Greenland on account of the mischief they do, but in the north of Asia they are 

 still reared and trained for the chase. In Lapland and Scandinavia they are never captured except 

 for the naturalist. The Raven is the only feathered enemy against whose attacks the Hunting Falcons 

 have to be upon their guard. 



The WANDERING FALCONS (Falco) differ from the last-mentioned birds in the inferiority of 

 their size, and the construction of the beak, which is smaller and more decidedly curved ; the feet are 

 not so entirely covered with feathers, and the tail is somewhat shorter in comparison with the wings. 



