GYRFALCONS IN THE LAKE DISTRICT. 



Rev. H. a. MACPHERSON, M.A., M.B.O.U., 



Carlisle; Joint-Author of ' The Birds of Cumber Iniut.'' 



I NOTICE that the July number of The Naturalist contains some 

 remarks on the three Gyrfalcons well known to have been obtained 

 in the Lake district. Particulars regarding such rare birds are so 

 important that I may fairly claim to add a few words to what has been 

 there said ; especially as I have personally interviewed all the persons 

 <:oncerned, and carefully examined the specimens on many occasions. 

 As regards the statement of Mr. John Watson, that Mr. Goodchild 

 sent him ' privately printed notes,' I may point out that not only are 

 two of the specimens already mentioned in ' The Birds of Cumber- 

 land,' but all three birds were recorded in detail in the ' Transactions 

 of the Cumberland and Westmorland Association,' of which I have 

 the honour to be the zoological recorder. 



The Greenland Falcon is, as Mr. Watson states, preserved in the 

 fine collection of the Musgrave family at Edenhall, Penrith, and 

 a grand bird it is. 



The skin of the Iceland Falcon, killed at Winton, was deposited 

 some years ago in the Carlisle Museum by my friend Mr. J. G. Good- 

 child. There it remains, and only about six months ago I called 

 Mr. Duckworth's attention to the fact that we had omitted this 

 specimen from notice in the ' Birds of Cumberland.' I was myself 

 responsible for draughting our Httle book, and how I forgot this 

 specimen, which was in my charge, I cannot say, but I was working 

 under high pressure. 



The remains of the Iceland Falcon, killed on Cross Fell, have been 

 in my own possession for the last four years. The late Mr. Greenwell, 

 their original owner, had a long talk with me about the specimen, some 

 two years previous to his lamented decease ; he showed me all his 

 notes, and handed over to me this bird's sternum and feathers. 



To conclude, it is perfectly true that the three Gyrfalcons above 

 mentioned are the only authentic ones that we know to have been 

 obtained in the Lake counties. But both Mr. Hodgkinson of Preston, 

 and the late James Fell of Carlisle (who only died about six weeks 

 ago), described to me how they each met with a white Gyrfalcon in 

 the north of Cumberland, though neither of the birds were shot. 

 Mr. Harris of Cockermouth also favoured me with some information 

 regarding an Iceland Falcon caught near Workington, but this is 

 believed to have been an escaped bird. V'arious ' white hawks," which 

 have been reported to me from time to time by keepers, have proved 

 to be light-coloured l^uzzards and Rough-legged P)Uzzards. 



Aug. 1888. 



