ZOOLOGICAL MUSEUM, TEING. 
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Falcon, Falco islandus (or candicans)^ split up by 
some ornithologists into several supposed species — 
the Iceland/’ the Greenland Falcon,” and others — 
and its close ally the darker Norwegian Falcon, Falco 
gyrfalco. The Peregrine, Falco peregrinus, although 
a powerful enemy of all feathered game, is still 
resident in a few places in Great Britain, as is also 
the graceful Hobby, F, subbuteo^ a hunter of smaller 
birds and insects ; while the Kestrel, F. tinnunculus^ 
although — in spite of its generally acknowledged 
usual harmlessness — much persecuted by many game- 
keepers, is still frequent in many parts of our islands. 
The Merlin, F, aesalouj is also a British bird, while 
the Red-footed Falcon is merely an irregular straggler. 
The Birds of Paradise, Paradiseidae, 
are the most brilliant of all birds, except the 
Humming Birds, which, however, are all much 
smaller. The Paradiseidae are only known from 
New Guinea and adjacent islands, with a few forms 
reaching to Australia. The variation in form of bill, 
plumage, and coloration is stupendous. While the 
Bower Birds, a group of Paradiseidae which build 
peculiar bowers and runs of twigs evidently for their 
pleasure, but not for breeding purposes, have all more 
or less short and plump beaks (see Ptilonorhynchus 
sericeuSj for example), and do not excel as much in 
plumage as the rest, except the crested AmblyorniSy 
