specific identity. As I have never visited Iceland, I
can say nothing from personal experience of the habits
of this Falcon in a wild state, but I have heard much
about them from various persons who have observed
them closely in their home, especially from the late
Mr. Proctor, of Durham, who, if I recollect rightly, paid
several visits to Iceland for bird-collecting purposes.
From these accounts it seems that the “ Icelander
closely resembles the Peregrine in its breeding-habits
and general manner of life. The nest is placed on the
ledges of cliffs and is more bulky than an average
Peregrine’s nursery, being composed of twigs of willow
and dead sticks, and lined with wool. Sea-fowl and
Waders form the principal diet of this Falcon, but a
friend who visited Iceland many years ago, and presented
me with a very fine skin of the present species, told me
that the Ptarmigan also suffer severely from the attentions
of our bird, who picks them up from the ground
more often than she takes them on wing. I do not
gather from my informant that the Falcon is by any
means specially addicted to the coasts for breeding or
other purposes, but this inference is probably due to
the fact that my information is derived from summer
visitors to Iceland. From a falconer’s point of view, I
have had but very slight acquaintance with the Iceland
Falcon, and am not inclined to rate her highly, but it
must be borne in mind that all the birds of this species
trained in this country have necessarily had the great
disadvantage of a sea-passage, and in many instances
have arrived so much damaged in plumage that they
could not be put on wing till after the first moult;
ICELA N D FALCON, Female immature.
Falco islandus, J- F. Qmelin.