IG 
FALCONIDiE. 
year j^reviously, and in the autumn of the same year was barely 
able to recognise tlie remains of one among the drift upon the 
sands at Norwich. I have only had one other in my hands. 
It was shot at Burravoe, in the island of Yell, in March 1868, 
while sitting upon a wall devouring a tame pigeon. Although 
unable to procure it, I took down a careful description of it 
under the name of Falco Gyrfalco. The bird is so well described 
and so accurately represented in the new edition of Yarrell’s 
British Birds,” now in course of issue, that it would be use- 
less here to introduce extracts from my own notes made at 
the time. 
THE PEEEGPJNE FALCON. 
Falco Peregrinus. 
GOSHAWK — STOCK HAWK.* 
With the exception of the Eaven and the Hooded Crow, 
there is perhaps no bird so universally detested by the Shet- 
landers as the Peregrine Falcon. This is not so much on ac- 
count of the mischief it does, which after all is not very great 
in the course of the year, as of the nature of that mischief, no 
pet bird or small animal being safe while the Peregrine is on 
the look-out for a meal. To this may be added the vexation 
caused by its impudence in snatching its victim from before 
their very face, as if mocking their inability to check its career, 
for very few Shetlanders would think of attempting to shoot 
any bird without resting the gun. Fortunately, however, the 
nest is so inaccessible, the bird is so wary, and its movements 
are so rapid and uncertain, that many pairs still remain to 
l)reed in these islands. Indeed, within the last few years the 
number has increased rather than otherwise, although previously 
* “Several birds have with us this appellation stock') prefixed to their 
names, and these are generally the largest and most remarkable of their kind, 
as the Stock Owl, the Stock Whaap, &c. We think the term is derived from 
the Islandic ‘Staler,’ meaning distinguished, rare, or remarkable .” — {Baikie 
and Heddle, Nat. Hist. Orkney. Parti, p. 76). 
