Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 9.djvu/13

 FALCON are several species of which it is impossible here to treat at length, such as F, barbarus of Mauritania, F. minor of South Africa, the Asiatic F. baby Ion tens, F. peregrin ator of India the Shaheen, and perhaps F, cassini of South America, with some others. Next to the typical Falcons comes a group known as the &quot;great northern&quot; Falcons (Hierofako), Of these the most re markable is the Gyrfalcon (F. yyrfalco], whose home is in the Scandinavian mountains, though the young are yearly visi tants to the plains of Holland and Germany. In plumage it very much resembles F. peregrinus, but its flanks have generally a bluer tinge, and its superiority in size is at once manifest, Nearly allied to it is the Icelander (F. islandus), which externally differs in its paler colouring, and in almost entirely wanting the black manclibular patch. Its propor tions, however, differ a good deal, its body being elongated. Its country is shown by its name, but it also inhabits South Greenland, and not unfrequently makes its way to the British Islands. Very close to this comes the Greenland Falcon (F. candicans), a native of North Greenland, and perhaps of other countries within the Arctic circle. Like the last, the Greenland Falcon from time to time occurs in the United Kingdom, but it is always to be distinguished by wearing a plumage in which at every age the prevailing colour is pure white. In North-Eastern America these birds are replaced by a kindred form (F. labradorus) first detected by Auclubon, and lately recognized by Mr Dresser (Orn. MisceU., i. p. 135). It is at once distinguished by its very dark colouring, the lower parts being occasionally almost as deeply tinted at all ages as the upper. All the birds hitherto named possess one character in common. The darker markings of their plumage are longi tudinal before the first real moult takes place, and for ever afterwards are transverse. In other words, when young the markings are in form of stripes, when old in form of bars. The variation of tint is very great, especially in F. pere- grinus ; but the experience of falconers, whose business it is to keep their birds in the very highest condition, shews that a Falcon of either of these groups if light-coloured in youth is light coloured when adult, and if dark when young is also dark when old age, after the first moult, making no difference in the complexion of the bird. The next group is that of the so-called &quot; Desert-Falcons &quot; (Genncea), wherein the difference just indicated does not obtain, for long as the bird may live and often as it may moult, the original style of markings never gives way to any other. Foremost among these are to be considered the Lanner and the Saker (commonly termed F. lanarius and F. sacer), both well known in the palmy days of Falconry, but only within the last forty years or so re-admitted to full recogni tion. Both of these birds belong properly to South-eastern Europe, North Africa, and South-western Asia. They are, for their bulk, less powerful than the members of the pre ceding group, and though they may be trained to high nights are naturally captors of humbler game. The precise number of species belonging here is very doubtful, but among the many candidates for recognition are especially to be named the Lugger (F. jugger) of India, and the Prairie Falcon (F. mexicanus) of the western plains of North America. The systematist finds it hard to decide in what group he should place two somewhat large Australian species (F. hypoleucus and F. subniffcr), both of which are rare in collections the latter especially; and, until more is serious progress. Such birds meet their fate from the less noble Accipitres, or predatory animals of many kinds. But when a bird is first affected by any disorder, its power of taking care of itself is at once impaired, and hence in the majority of cases it may become an easy victim mder circumstances which would enable a perfectly sound bird to escape from the attack even of a Falcon. known about them, their position must remain doubt ful. We have then a small but very beautiful group the Merlins 1 (^Esalon of some writers, Lithofalco of others). The Fro. 2. Merlin. European Merlin (F. cesalon) is perhaps the boldest of the Accipitres, not hesitating to attack birds of twice its own size, and even on occasion threatening human beings. Yet it readily becomes tame, if not affectionate, when reclaimed, and its ordinary prey consists of the smaller Fasseres. Its &quot; pinion of glossy blue &quot; has become almost proverbial, and a deep ruddy blush suffuses its lower parts ; but these are characteristic only of the male the female maintaining very nearly the sober brown plumage she wore when as a nestling she left her lowly cradle in the heather. Very close to this bird comes the Pigeon-Hawk (F. cohtmbarius) of North America so close, indeed, that none but an ex pert ornithologist can detect the difference. The Turumti of Anglo-Indians (F. chicquera), and its representative from Southern Africa (F. rvficoliis), also belong to this group, but they are considerably larger than either of the former. Lastly, we have the Hobbies (Hypotriorchis) comprising a greater number of forms though how many seems to be FIG. 3. Hobby. doubtful. They are in life at once recognizable by their bold upstanding position, and at any time by their long wings. The type of this group is the English Hobby (F. subbuteo), a bird of great power of flight, chiefly used in 1 French, Jllmtntton; Icelandic, Smirill.