Subfamily FALCONINiE.
Genus F alco.
The members o f this genus arc preeminently bold, courageous, and sanguinary, many o f them,
especially the Gyr Falcons and Peregrines, not hesitating to attack in the air birds much larger than
themselves; and when trained for hawking, as they have been from time immemorial, their courage and
daring is so much enhanced that they will engage with birds o f even larger size than they do in their
wild state. Structurally they are better adapted for a quick and arrow-like flight than any other o f the
Raptores.
One or other o f the numerous species o f this group inhabit nearly every portion o f the globe. The
Gyr Falcon and its immediate allies are almost solely confined to the high northern regions, whence they
migrate during autumn and winter towards the equator, but never across it.
The Peregrines are much more generally dispersed than the Gyr Falcons, the various species frequenting
most countries both north and s o u th ; thus the form exists in Europe, Asia, and Australia, in Africa also
from the Atlas range to the Cape o f Good Hope, and in America from the latitude o f Hudson’s Bay to
Tierra del Fuego. The smaller Falcons, such as the Hobby and Merlin, are also more or less represented
in each country, but generally, although not exclusively, are o f different species.
15. F alco isla n d u s . . . . . . . . . . Vol. I. PI. XI.
I ce la n d F alcon.
The.subject of the great northern Falcons will be found so fully treated o f in the body o f the work that it
would be mere tautology to say more here than that this bird is, as its name implies, a native o f Iceland,
and, but more sparingly, o f Greenland. I t is also said to be found in Hudson’s Bay and other o f the
extreme northern parts o f America. Occasionally adults, but more frequently young birds o f the year,
wander as far south as the British Islands.
16. F alco i s l a n d u s Vol. I. PI. XII.
I celand F alcon (young).
Appears to be darkly coloured from the nest, but never so deep in tint as that o f the true Gyr Falcon.
17. F alco candicans . . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. I . PI. XIII.
G re en la nd F alcon.
This species inhabits the icy regions of Greenland, Hudson’s Bay, and other parts of Arctic America, and
is less frequently seen in the British Islands in the adult state than the F. islandus, from which it is distinguished
by the extreme whiteness of its plumage, and by the young being lightly coloured from the nest.
18. F alco c a n d i c a n s ...................................................................................................................................................Vol. I* FI* XIV.
G r e en lan d F alcon (dark race).
My plate represents a supposed dark race of the preceding species; but as the strongly defined marks on
the back vary considerably in different individuals, and the tail-feathers differ still more so, some being
wholly white, others barred, and others, again, having irregular dark markings, I am induced to regard these
darkly marked birds as the result of a cross between F . islandus and F . candicans. The young appear
to be lightly coloured from the n e s t; but a considerable difference takes place at the first moult, when the
feathers o f the back are ornamented with long and broad blotches, offering a strong contrast to the narrow
lunate cross markings of the old bird. I have been induced to give two figures of these unusually marked
birds.
19. F alco c a n d i c a n s Vol. I. PI. XV.
G r e en la n d F alcon (dark race, young).
Lord Cawdor’s bird, now in the British Museum, from which my figure of the Gyr Falcon in the ‘ Birds
o f Europe,’ and Mr. Yarrell’s in his ‘ British Birds,’ were taken, is a young specimen of this race ; and it is
in this stage that most o f the individuals are found with us.
2 0 . F alco g y r f a l c o Vol. I. PI. XVI.
N orwegian o r G yr F alcon.
The true Gyr Falcon o f Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Western Russia is a smaller bird than the three
preceding; and both the adult and young are darker in colour. As yet, it has not been found in the British
Islands, although its native country is so near a t hand. The plate has been given to show the differences
which exist among these northern Falcons, to which Professor Kaup has applied the separate generic
appellation of Hierofalco.