HAWKING-BIRDS. 
THE GER-FALCON. 
This favourite member of the hawk family would appear to 
derive its name from geyer, the German for a vulture. It is 
one of the most beautiful as well as the most powerful of the 
species. In the adult of both sexes the body is white, having 
the upper parts marked with dark grey spots. The beak is 
light blue, and the cere and feet pale yellow. In shape it is 
compact and thick- set, with a short stout neck and flattened 
round head. The female is larger than the male, and in 
general appearance resembles its mate. 
The ger-falcon is only a visitor to this country, and a rare 
one, its proper home being the most northern parts of Europe 
and America. Throughout Iceland and Greenland it is well 
known, and was frequently seen by Dr. Richardson during his 
journey through North America. He says, “ In the middle of 
June a pair of these birds attacked me as I was climbing in 
the vicinity of their nest, which was built on a lofty precipice, 
on the borders of Point Lake, in latitude 68|°. They flew 
in circles, uttering loud and harsh screams, and alternately 
stooping with such velocity that their motion through the air 
produced a loud rustling sound ; they struck their claws within 
an inch or two of my head. I endeavoured, by keeping the 
; barrel of my gun close to my cheek, and suddenly elevating 
i its muzzle when they were in the act of striking, to ascertain 
s whether they had the power of instantaneously changing the 
direction of their rapid course, and found that they invariably 
rose above the obstacle with the quickness of thought ; showing 
equal acuteness of vision and power of motion. Although 
their flight was much more rapid, it bore considerable resem- 
blance to the snowy owl.” 
The Rev. J. G. Wood, in his “ Feathered Friends,” says, 
“ The ger-falcon is a terrible bird in fight as well as in chase, 
and can even vanquish the raven himself, in spite of his pick- 
axe of a beak and his exceeding craftiness. Sometimes, though, 
the ger-falcon is defeated in the chase, and that by one of the 
most helpless of birds, the ptarmigan. The falcon as well as 
the ptarmigan is light- coloured in plumage, and chases the 
latter bird over the snow- covered water. But when the falcon 
pounces on a flock of ptarmigans, the intended victims elude 
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