TH E GYR-FALCON.
Falco Islandicus, Gyrfalcon, P enn. Brit. Zool. vol. i. p. 217.
,, ,, Jerfalcon, M ont. Ornith. Diet.
,, Gyrfalco, ,, B ewick, Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 15.
Gyrfulco candicans, ,, F lem. Brit. An. p. 5 1 .
Falco Islandicus, ,, Sel6*y, Brit. Ornith. vol. i. p. 36.
,, ,, ,, J enYn s , Brit. Vert. p. 81.
,, >, Fancon Gerfaut, T emm. Man. d’Ornith. vol. i. p. 17.
F alco. Generic Characters.—Beak short, curved from its base; on each
cutting edge of the upper mandible a strong projecting tooth. Legs robust-
tarsi short: toes long, strong, armed with curved and sharp claws. Wings long
and pointed ; the first and third quill-feathers of equal length, the second quill-
feather the longest.
O f the true Falcons which the British Islands produce,
the Gyr-Falcon may be considered one of the most typical
in form, as it is the largest in size. It is an inhabitant of
Europe and North America, seldom appearing south of the
52° of latitude, or north of 74°. It is not, however, very
numerous anywhere; and from its great courage and strength
large sums were formerly expended in procuring specimens
from Iceland and Norway, for various potentates of Europe
who were then devoted to falconry. Those specimens obtained
from Iceland were called exclusively Iceland Falcons;
and from peculiarities observed in their disposition, as well
as in their mode of flying at their game, not only commanded
the highest prices, but they were, and are even now, considered
by falconers as a species distinct from the Gyr-Falcon.
“ They say that these two Falcons differ in the comparative
length of their wings in reference to the ta il; the
Iceland Falcon is, to them, a much more valuable, as well
as a much more rare species; that they require a different
system of training, as well as of general management. They
describe the Iceland Falcon as a bird of higher courage than
the Gyr-Falcon ; of a more rapid and bolder flight; and that
it can be flown successfully at larger game. Its gyrations
are said to be wider, its mount higher, and its stoop to the
quarry more impetuous, grand, and imposing. Naturalists
in general, however, believe that all the differences to be
observed between the Iceland and the Gyr-Falcon may be
referred to age or sex.”
The specimen from which Mr. Bewick took his representation
of the Gyr-Falcon is now in good condition in the
Museum of Natural History at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, although
it must have been preserved more than fifty years.
This bird was given at that time to Mr. Tunstall by the
then Lord Orford, of sporting notoriety, who had used it for