Scandinavian Cyrfalcon. mi 



somewhat broadly, the iipj^er flanks being marked witli ratlier large licart-shaped 

 spots; under tail-coverts rather irregularly barred; bill bluish horn, darkest at 

 tip; cere and legs yellow; claws almost black; irides dark V;rown ; length 21 J 

 inches. The female is like the male, but larger; length 24 to 2}i inches. Young 

 birds are brown on the back, wing-coverts, and tail, the feathers edged with 

 buffish-white ; head and under parts buffish-white, striated broadl}' with brown. 



Family— FAL CONID^. 



Scandinavian Gyrfalcon. 



Falco gyr/alco, LiNN. 



ONLY two examples of this the typical Gyrfalcon of Linnseus, and the darkest 

 in plumage of the three European species of the Northern Falcons, have 

 been captured in this country. A bird of such powerful wing, and a comparative!}^ 

 near neighbour, might well be expected to visit us oftener. Its best distinction is the 

 presence of the moustache, absent in the other two species. One, in the possession 

 of Mr. Borrer, and figured by him in his Birds of Sussex, was killed in that 

 county in 1845, "^"^^ identified as an adult Nom^a}^ Gyrfalcon hy the late Mr. J. 

 H. Gumey. Seebohm records an immature example shot at Orford, in Suffolk, 

 in the act of devouring a hen, on October 14th, 1867. 



Vol. ni 



