14 ART AND PRACTICE OF HAWKING 



longitudinal blotches on a white ground, as in the peregrine ; 

 but these markings are of a rather duller brown. At the moult 

 the markings on the under plumage diminish greatly in size and 

 number, especially on and near the chin, and become more or 

 less tear-shaped — this tendency to decrease continuing in subse- 

 quent moults. In the upper plumage the brown is replaced by 

 slatey grey, barred with a lighter blue-grey, which in patches, 

 especially upon parts of the feathers which are habitually 

 hidden, are nearly white. The tail becomes slatey brown, with 

 narrow bars of brownish grey. This species has a broad well- 

 marked moustachial streak, which is dark brown in the im- 

 mature and dark grey in the adult. The cere and eyelids are 

 blue-grey, and the legs and feet bluish lead colour; but all 

 become yellow in the adult. 



This species is found not only in Norway, but also along the 

 whole expanse of Northern Europe and Asia. It is the nearest 

 in colouring and disposition to the peregrine, and the most 

 remote from the Greenlander. Lord Lilford considered that it 

 was not so fast as the Greenlander, and its shape is certainly 

 not so indicative either of speed or of strength. John Barr was 

 sent over by Captain Dugmore some few years ago to Norway, 

 and brought back sixteen of these hawks. They flew beautifully 

 to the lure, turning more quickly than a peregrine, and stooping 

 with greater dash, but were of little use in the field, and mostly 

 fell speedy victims to the croaks or other maladies. 



Labrador Falcon (Falco labradorus) 



This is another species of the ger family, found, as its name 

 imports, in Labrador. It is of a much darker coloration than 

 even the Norway falcon, but not very different in measurements. 

 It has not, as far as I can learn, been trained for sporting pur- 

 poses, though no doubt it very well might be. 1 



1 Although the name gyrfalco — the gyrating or circling falcon — is now appro- 

 priated by most ornithologists to the Norway birds, all the foregoing were included 

 by the old falconers under the name ger, gyr, or jer. They are all so styled, and 

 very properly, by modem usage. They are indeed little, if anything, more than 

 climatic varieties of the same bird, and although it has not been ascertained beyond a 

 doubt that they interbreed, this is highly probable. The lightest variety of each one 

 species is almost, if not quite, undistinguishable from the darkest of the next ; and 

 the character of all is similar enough to admit of their being trained and treated in 

 the same way. From the falconer's point of view, there will certainly be less 

 difference between one Iceland falcon and one of either of the two nearest allied 

 species than there may be between two individual specimens of F. islandus. They 

 will all therefore be dealt with in the remaining chapters under the same general 

 name of gers, unless when any special consideration involves a more specific 

 indication. 



