Clafs II. G Y R F A L C O N. 135 



Ordgar^ fined to Richard I. in one Norway hawk, to 

 o-ain the royal intereft in a certain affair *. 



Among the falcons, we owe to the generofity of 

 Mr. Fleifcher, were two which we believe to be alfo 

 natives of our own country ; and thefe we venture to 

 defcribe and figure in this work as fuch, on the au- 

 thorities above mentioned. 



VI. The G Y R F A L C O N. Tab. 4. 



LeGerfault. Belon av. 94. F. Iflandus albus. Brunnkh 7. 8, 



Gyrfalco. Aldr. av. I. 243. Le Gerfault. Brijon wu. I. 370. 



Jer-falcon. Wil. orn. 78. Bib. Scot. 14. 



Gyrfalco. Rail Jyn. av. i'^, Charlton Ex. '^x'j. 



HIS elegant fpecies is not much inferior in fize Defer. 

 to the Ofprey. The bill is very much hooked 

 and yellow ; the throat of a pure white : the whole 

 plumage is of the fame color, but marked with dulky 

 lines, fpots or bars. The head, bread and belly with 

 narrow lines, thinly fcattered and pointing down. 

 The wings with large heart-fhaped fpots ; the middle 

 feathers of the tail with a few bars : the feathers on the 

 thighs are very long, and of a pure white ; the legs 

 yellow, and feathered a little below the knees. This 

 kind is fometimes found quite white ; it was a bird 

 in high efteem when falconry .was in vogue, and ufed 

 for the nobleft game, fuch as cranes and herons. 



This is the Gyrfalco of all the ornithologifls except 

 Linnaus^ whofe bird we are totally unacquainted with ; 

 though '^he gives feveral of their fynonyms, his def- 

 cription differs entirely from each of them. 



* Madix's Antiq. Excheq. 325. 332. 



^ Species 



