124 
THE HAWK TRIBE. 
may form some idea from the attention paid by tbe king 
of Denmark, in procuring and preserving certain Falcons 
which were in tbe highest estimation, from the island of 
Iceland, and were then, and still are, known by the name 
of the Iceland Falcon ( Falco icelandicus , Falco gyrfalco). 
Next to the Eagle, it was reputed the most formidable and 
active, as well as the most prompt and intrepid of our birds 
of prey. 
In the winter, whole flights of these birds come over from 
Greenland and the Arctic regions, where they probably breed 
and pass the summer, as Captain Sir Edward Parry saw them 
frequently in his last voyage. These Icelandic Falcons were 
always considered the best for sport, lasting ten or twelve 
years ; whereas, those from Norway, not above two or three 
years ; they are also superior in size, and gifted with extra- 
ordinary qualities. So much were they indeed prized, that 
an ancient Danish law inflicted the punishment of death on 
any person found guilty of destroying ’ them ; and those 
engaged in taking them were bound, under heavy penalties, to 
deliver them to no other person whatever but the king’s own 
falconer; and even so late as 1758, the spirit of the law was 
not much changed, judging from the following account of a 
writer on Icelandic history. He tells us that the king of 
Denmark sends every year a falconer, with two attendants. 
On landing, they repair to a house called the king’s falcon- 
house, for the purpose of receiving the birds caught by per- 
sons who are licensed, and are native Icelanders. About 
midsummer, these catchers bring their birds on horseback, 
holding a pole, with another fixed across it, on which ten or 
twelve sit, all capped, that is, with their heads covered with 
caps or hoods. This pole is held in their hand, and rested 
on the stirrup. The falconer examines them very carefully, 
and returning those that are of an inferior sort, sends off the 
best to Denmark. During the voyage, they are arranged 
between the decks, tied to poles, two rows of a side ; these 
poles are covered with coarse cloth over a stuffing of straw, 
and lines are strung from one side to the other, pretty close, 
that they may have something to catch hold of in case of 
