October, 1905. 



The h'ish Naturalist . 



201 



ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE 

 GREENLAND AND ICEEAND FAECONS IN IRELAND, 

 DURING THE SPRING OF 1905. 



BY EDWARD WII^LIAMS. 

 [Pi. ATE 6]. 



The first intimation of the arrival of the Greenland Falcon 

 {Falco candicaiis), certainly the handsomer of the two large 

 arctic falcons that occasionally visit Ireland, was conveyed in 

 two letters read by Mr. Barrington, presiding as Chairman at 

 a meeting of the Dublin Naturalists' Field Club. One, dated 

 13th March, was from the light-keeper on Clare Island 

 lighthouse, asking if there is such a bird as a white hawk, and 

 then describing a bird the size of a sea-gull, which he watched 

 on the loth March eating a Curlew. The other letter, dated 

 14th March, was from a retired light-keeper on Ovvey Island, 

 Kincaslagh, Co. Donegal, who said he was informed by the 

 boys about a white hawk frequenting the cliffs and hills and 

 occasionally the village, and destroying some of the domestic 

 fowl each winter; he writes: "I got a fine opportunity of 

 observing this bird, walking near the top of the highest hill ; 

 he flew across my path a little below me and lit on a rock. I 

 was quite exposed, but he did not mind me for about fifteen 

 minutes, then he flew to the cliffs. I observed him closely ; 

 he is somewhat larger than the Peregrine, lighter on the back 

 than the Herring Gull, white neck and head, and a little rusty 

 on the end of the wings and tail." The writer then concludes 

 with a lament that he had not a gun to obtain the specimen. 

 There can be very little doubt that the Clare Island bird was 

 a Greenlander. Possibly the other bird mentioned may have 

 been an Icelander. 



During the month of March quite a number of Greenland 

 Falcons were obtained along the west coast of Ireland. Mr. 

 H. J. Moran of Carne, Prospect, Belmullet, says : — " Three 

 were obtained; one, an immature male, I received, and two 

 were forwarded to a gentleman near the city, both of which 

 I have seen ; judging from their size I should say both were 



