birds are very closely alike in plumage, there is a 

 constant difference of " make " and character between 

 them that would, I think, at once strike the eye of a 

 falconer ; about the adult birds there can hardly be 

 any mistake. 



The Gyr-Falcon is from all accounts resident in many 

 parts of Scandinavia, where it nests in cliffs and high 

 trees, and preys principally upon Ptarmigan and Water- 

 fowl. It must be locally abundant, as John Wolley 

 found upwards of twenty nests in West Finmark ; and 

 the well-known falconer John Barr (who was sent to 

 Norway by Captain Dugmore and me some years ago 

 for the express purpose) succeeded in catching sixteen 

 fully fledged young birds of the year during a few 

 weeks' stay in that country. This Falcon was held in 

 high repute by ancient falconers ; but my small expe- 

 rience with it goes to prove that it evidently requires a 

 large expanse of open country to enable it to put forth 

 its best qualities, and that it is practically useless 

 amongst enclosures. The flight of the few of this 

 species that I have seen on wing under the disad- 

 vantages just mentioned, though strong and vigorous, 

 could not compare in speed with that of the Greenland 

 Falcon in the same circumstance ; but I have never 

 seen the Gyr-Falcon in a wild state. One of these 

 birds was taken at Valkenswaard, in South Brabant, 

 many years ago to my certain knowledge, and is not, I 

 think, the only one that has been caught at the Hawk- 

 huts in that district ; but its range of migration appears 

 to be far more limited than those of the Iceland and 

 Greenland Falcons. 



