this tint fully. The claws are of a dark horn-colour, almost
black. The irides are dark.
The young, also figured in the woodcut, resemble the old
as to the head, but up to the time of their first moult, the
upper surface of the body is almost entirely devoid of the
banded plumage which characterizes the plumage of maturity,
and, except for the dirty or ochreous-white border of
each feather, would he of an uniform dull brown. The
quills are much the same as in the adult, hut there is an
entire absence of the bluish tinge. Beneath, the colouring
is generally much darker than in the adult, each feather
bearing a broad longitudinal mark of dark brown. The hill
resembles that of the adult, but the cere, tarsi and feet are
bluish-grey.
Examples of the Iceland Falcon are occasionally found
showing a tendency to albinism, having perhaps two or
three feathers on one side nearly pure white, while the
corresponding ones on the other side are normal in their
colouring. At other times the pied markings are more
regularly disposed; and it was a specimen so diversified which
led Mr. Hancock into the error, which he afterwards corrected
as before mentioned.
The whole length of the adult female is about twenty-five
inches; the wing, from the carpal joint, is over sixteen
inches. The male is from twenty to twenty-one inches in
length, with a wing of about fourteen inches.
ACCI PITRES. FALCONID Æ.
F alco p e r e g r in u s , J. F . Gmelin*.
TH E P E R E G R IN E FALCON.
Falco peregrinus.
T h e great docility of the Common or Peregrine Falcon,
and the comparative ease with which the birds are procured,
has rendered them the most frequent objects of the falconer’s
care and tuition, and it is this species which is the most
commonly used at the present day by those who still pursue
the amusement of hawking. Formerly this diversion was
* Syst. Nat. i. p. 272 (1788).