The female peregrine falcon is, in the terms of falcon ry, always called Falcon, while the male is denominated Tercel ; the female, when a year old, is termed a Red Falcon, and the male, a Red Tercel ; and, when thorough ly bred, they are called Gcntil or Gentle Hawks. This last expression has also been sometimes applied to the young of the goshawk, and more vaguely, to such birds as are manageable in the sport.
For the mode of using and training hawks in falconry, see HUNTING.
F. Islandicus, Bech. Temm.; F. hierofalco, Cur. ; F. Islandicus candicans, Gmel. Lath. Myer ; F. rusticolus, Gmel. Iceland falcon, jerfalcon, TT7rite jerfalcon, Brown jet:falcon, &c. Ground of the plumage white, with narrow brown bands on the upper parts and tail, and the under parts white, marked with small brown tear-like spots.
The native abodes of the Iceland falcon are the north of Europe and Asia, particularly Norway and Iceland. An instance occurs of its having been shot in the county of Aberdeen ; and it has been occasionally observed in the north of Scotland, and in the Orkneys. Though indige rious only to the colder latitudes, it perfectly accommodates itself to the more temperate and warm climates, when transported to them. At no very distant period, it was in training in this country. Next to the eagle, it is reputed the most formidable and active, as well as the most prompt and intrepid of all our predacious birds ; and it is still the most esteemed for falconry, being conveyed from Iceland and Russia into France, Italy, Turkey and Persia. The female boldly attacks the largest of the feathered race, the stork, heron, and crane, being its easy victims, and it kills hares by directly darting on them. The male is used chiefly to catch the kite, the heron, and the crow. But, unless treated with patient gentleness and care in the course of discipline, this species becomes refractory and unmanageable. In a state of liberty, it preys on other birds, and especially on pigeons; and such is its ardour for the chase, that when it has seized and lacerated one victim, it will fly off in pursuit of another. The female breeds in the north among lofty and inaccessible rocks.
F. Laniarius, Lin. &e. Leaner. Wings terminating at two-thirds of the tail, the middle toe shorter than the tarsus, beneath the eye a black stroke, which disappears with age, or at least is nearly obliterated ; legs bluish ; the two first quills with their beards truncated at the ex tremity. We have adopted those characters from Tern
minck, as being less equivocal than those usually quoted, and less apt to confound the present species with the pe regrine falcon, especially as the markings of the young of both are nearly similar.
The lanner is found in many parts of Europe, inhabits Iceland and the Feroe Islands, Denmark, Sweden, the Tartarian deserts, and is said to breed in the vicinity of Astrachan. In this island it is rarely met with ; but it is reported to breed in Ireland. It is pretty common in Hungary, Poland, Russia, Austria, and Styria. The nest is generally placed in hilly situations, and either on rocks, or among trees and brush-wood. Though the lanncr is a bold bird, and was formerly used in falconry, few particu lars are recorded of its habits and manners.
F. subbuteo, Lin. &c. Hobby. Bluish-dusky above, white beneath, with oblong black spots, and the cheeks marked on each side by a descending black spot. Length of the mature male, one foot two inches, and weight, seven ounces. The female measures one foot four inches in length, and weighs nine ounces.
The hobby is a native of Great Britain, Sweden, France, Germany, the deserts of Tartary, Siberia, &c. and is destructive of small birds, particulrrly of larks and quails. It may also be trained to hunt the partridge. It commits its depredations chiefly on plains that confine on forests, flies easily, and even higher than the lark, and when it captures its prey, retires with it into the forest, and perches on the loftiest trees. In these last it makes its nest, or occupies that which has been deserted by a crow, the female laying two or three whitish eggs, dotted with brown, and marked with some larger spots of black. It leaves us about the latter end of October, and is known to winter about \Voronetz and Astrachan. Notwithstand ing its diminutive size, it yields to none of its congeners in courage and address; and is therefore trained for hawk ing, but more commonly for taking partridges and larks with a nct, which is termed daring ; for the hobby being cast off, so frightens the birds, that they readily suffer a net to be drawn over them. When pouncing on a call bird, it is sometimes entangled in the fowler's snare, when it lays itself on its back, and will not suffer itself to be handled, without exerting its bill and claws to the utmost, and scratching the person who lays hold of it, to the effusion of his blood.