FALCONING. FALCO. 
49 
each, side near the tip, which is truncate. Mouth wide ; 
tongue short, fleshy, sagittate and papillate at the base, con- 
cave above, with the sides nearly parallel, the tip rounded 
and emarginate ; oesophagus wide, with a large crop ; pro- 
ventriculus wide ; stomach large, round, its muscular coat 
very thin ; intestine of moderate length and width ; cloaca 
elliptical or globular, very large. Nostrils round, with a 
central papilla. Eyes large, with the superciliary ridge pro- 
minent. Aperture of ear round, rather large. Head large, 
round, flattened above ; neck short ; body compact, firm, 
muscular. Feet of moderate length, stout ; tarsus short, 
rounded, covered with scales, of which the anterior are larger 
and somewhat hexagonal ; toes strong, scutellate above, the 
first short, the third much longer than the fourth, which 
exceeds the second, and is connected by a basal membrane ; 
claws long, well curved, flat beneath, tapering to a fine point. 
Plumage generally compact ; feathers of the head short and 
narrow, of the back and breast ovate or oblong ; wings very 
long and pointed, the second quill longest, the first little 
shorter, one or both having the inner web abruptly cut out ; 
tail long, broad, rounded. 
The Falcons, which are considered as the tj^pical or pre- 
eminently characteristic birds of this family, are generally 
distributed. Being compact and muscular, they fly by regular 
beats, sailing little, and descend perpendicularly or obliquely 
on their prey, which they capture in the air as well as on 
the ground. Their food consists of small quadrupeds, birds 
of various kinds,, reptiles, and insects. They breed on rocks, 
in trees, or on the ground, forming a bulky nest, and laying 
from three to six roundish or broadly ovate eggs, generally 
speckled or spotted with red or brown. The young are 
covered with thick white down. The males in this genus are 
much smaller than the females. Six species occur in Britain. 
10. Falco Gvrfalco. The Gyrfalcon. 
Adult of both sexes white, having the upper parts marked 
with semilunar or sagittiform dark grey spots ; the bill light 
blue, the cere and feet pale yellow. Young brownish-grey 
above, spotted with yellowish or reddish-white, the tail with 
numerous light bars, which on the middle feathers are gene- 
D 
