12 A CATAiOGFE OF THE BIEDS 



evident that this so-called species should rank merely as a race 

 or variety. In some specimens again the rufous colour is in 

 patches, and in others it becomes less and less, until it entirely 

 disappears, and the ground colour of the under parts is piire 

 white. Another variety has the ground of a pale cold grey, with 

 the transverse bands blending somewhat together. 



This Palcon is the most noble and elegant of rapacious birds ; 

 his fine, angular, compact form, can best be studied and only 

 fully appreciated by the falconer. The fixm but easy manner in 

 which the bird rests upon his perch, his tarsi almost straight, 

 his body erect, his head gracefully poised upon his wide majestic 

 shoulders, and the glance of his quiet, piercing, brilliant eye, 

 are all the constant admiration of the falconer ; but when thus 

 represented in art, it has a stiff, formal appearance to the un- 

 initiated. Of course, this noble bird is seen to the greatest ad- 

 vantage while he is "waiting on," and while he is making his 

 rapid and repeated stoops upon the quarry. 



With a view of attaining an accurate knowledge of the form 

 and habits of the Talcon I have trained nearly all the British 

 species ; and, in preserving specimens of them for my collection, 

 have availed myself of the information so gained. But, notwith- 

 standing all my pains, I could never satisfy an old fastidious 

 friend of mine, who was himself a great admii-er of Ilature, and 

 a very good bii'd-stuffer. His criticism always went to the same 

 tune — " Very good, sir ! very good ! but is it not rather stiff on 

 its legs ?" My friend had to visit me at a certain hour one day, 

 so I thought I would test him. I brought my trained Greenland 

 Falcon into the work-room and put him to one side on his perch, 

 all ready for the field, hooded, belled, and leashed. He at once 

 became as stationary as a statue, and in liis quiet graceful re- 

 pose looked as much like a stuffed bird as any that surrounded 

 him. In came my expected friend. " Well, have you been 

 doing anything new of late?" "There is a Falcon," said I, 

 pointing to the bird ready equipped for the field ; " what do you 

 think of him?" "Good, sir! very good! but don't you think 

 his legs r-a-ther stiff?" and, as he spoke, he advanced a step or 

 two towards the Falcon, which, becoming alarmed at the near 



