GYRFALCONS. 103 



itself caught in the arms of a man as it came out." (Bull. Nutt. Ornith. 

 Club, vol. IV, 1879, p. 189.) 



Mr. Thomas Mcllwraith writes (March 28, 1890) that a correspondent 

 in British Columbia killed a Gray Gyrfalcon as it tried to carry off a mal- 

 lard he had just shot. 



The following relates to it in Greenland and the fur cotintries: "He 

 [Holboll] mentions having once seen one with a young Larus tridaoty. 

 lus in each foot, and another with two Tringa maritima carried in the 

 same manner. * * * Eichardson often met with it during his jour- 

 neys over the Barren Grounds, where its habitual prey was the Ptarmi- 

 gan, and where it also destroyed Plover, Ducks, and Geese." (Hist. K. 

 A. Birds, vol. in, pp. 119-120.) 



So rare are these birds in the United States, that a man may consider 

 himself fortunate who sees one in a lifetime. 



The nest is placed usually on a ledge or crag of some inaccessible 

 cHff^ though in the Anderson Eiver district, Northwest Territory, Mr, 

 MacFarlane found most nests in trees. They were situated in ever- 

 greens, from 10 to 25 feet from the ground, some being in the very 

 top, while others were on the lower limbs, resting against the trunk. 

 The nest, which is often a couple of feet in diameter, is made of Iry twigs 

 and small branches, and contains a warm lining of moss, seaweed, dry 

 grass, hair, or feathers. The eggs, which are usually from two to four in 

 number, are deposited some time in May, Mr. MacFarlane finding fresh 

 sets from the 10th to 27th of that month. The birds are said sometimes 

 to guard their nests with determination, and even to attack persons 

 who go near them. 



There seems to be a great difference of opinion in respect to their 

 flight. Some observers say that it is slow and clumsy, while others state 

 that it is swift and elegant, and equal or superior to that of the Duck 

 Hawk. It is stated that while hunttag it rarely sails, but passes for- 

 ward on rapidly beating wings. The note is loud, shrill, and piercing, ' 

 and may be heard a long distance. 



DESCEIPTION. 



Large Hawks with pointed wings : Lower legs densely feathered in 

 front and on sides for the upper two- thirds. The edges of the feathering 

 meeting behind. 



White Gyrfalcon: Prevailing color of whole plumage white, streaked 

 with dusky. 



Gray Gyrfalcon: Top of head streaked with white; pbove, m«.re or 

 less distinctly barred with very pale grayish-white or buffy- white, the 

 lighter bars sometimes nearly equal in width to the darker ones. 



Common Gyrfalcon : Darker in color than the Gray Gyrfalcon. 



Black Gyrfalcon : Lower parts with dusky prevailing, sometimes al- 

 most entirely dusky. 



Length: 20 to 24.5 inches (508 to 622"'"); wing, 13.5 to 16.5 inches 

 (342 to 420""'); tail, 8 to 10.5 inches (203 to 266""°). 



