246 A SPRING AND SUMMEE IN LAPLAND. 



far south, as the Dovre fells, in Norway, where it is 

 known by the name of the "bla falk," or blue falcon). 

 The egg coloured by Dr. Bree is from a specimen 

 in the British Museum, and more resembles a 

 light variety of the egg of the Falco Islandicus 

 than the eggs of this dark jer-falcon which I 

 obtained. The three eggs which were brought to 

 me with part of the old female were of a uniform 

 dull brick- dust red colour all oyer, not speckled or 

 patched, and of a more elongated form. This bird 

 is well known to the Laps, who well distinguish 

 it from the peregrine, the only other large falcon 

 that breeds on these fells ; and it appears to be 

 not rare ; in fact, from what I could gather, more 

 common in this district than even the peregrine. 

 So much confusion has existed, and so many 

 different opinions have been given respecting the 

 identity of this falcon, that any observations which 

 may tend to throw a light on the matter must be 

 acceptable to the naturalist, and I shall, therefore, 

 make no apology for troubling my readers with a 

 few remarks on this subject. Whether or not 

 there be three distinct species of the jer-falcon, as 

 some naturalists contend, one thing appears to 

 be clear, that this dark falcon never became per- 

 fectly white, as in the Greenland and Iceland 

 forms. And here let me correct a mistake which 

 seems to have gained ground in England, "that 



