GENTIL FALCON. 123 



bird are said to be rather transverse than longitu- 

 dinal ; the quills dusky, barred on the outer webs 

 with black, and on the lower part of the inner webs 

 marked with white : the wifigs reach to the middle 

 of the tail, which is alternately banded with black 

 and ash-colour, and tipped with white : the bill is 

 lead-coloured, and the cere yellow: the legs are 

 of the same colour, and rather short, the thighs 

 being well covered with feathers. 



The Count de BufFon supposes this bird to be 

 the head or representative of the Common Falcon^ 

 or in other words, the bird in its full plumage and 

 perfection, for which reason it has obtained among 

 Falconers the title of Falcon Gentil^ but it is ob- 

 served by a more modern ornithologist. Monsieur 

 Daudin, that in this particular BufFon was pciistaken 

 or misinformed ; that the present bird constitutes 

 a really distinct species from the Common Falcon, 

 , though greatly allied to it ; and that the Falconers 

 call the Common Falcon, when in full plumage, 

 and completely bred or trained, by the title of 

 Falcon Gentil also ^ so that no stress is to be laid 

 on this circumstance. Monsieur Sonnini also, in 

 his improved edition of the Count de Buffon's 

 Natural History, is of the same opinion. 



The Falcon Gentil is figured on the fiftieth plate 

 of the smaller editions of the British Zoology, 

 I have heard it maintained, on the faith of an 

 eminent Falconer, that the Falcon Gentil is in 

 reality no other than a young or incomplete 

 Goshaxvh. 



