Their cries also resembled those of the Peregrine Falcon, being loud, shrill, and piercing. Now and then they would alight on some of the high stakes placed on the shore as beacons to the fishermen who visit the coast, and stand for a few minutes, not erect like most other Hawks, but in the position of a Lestris or Tern, after which they would resume their avocations, and pounce upon a Puffin, which they generally did while the poor bird was standing on the ground at the very entrance of its burrow, apparently quite unaware of the approach of its powerful enemy. The Puffin appeared to form no impediment to the flight of the Hawk, which merely shook itself after rising in the air, as if to arrange its plumage, as the Fish Hawk does when it has emerged from the water with a fish in its talons.
The four Falcons mentioned were all that were seen of this species during our expedition, and I am inclined to think that these birds must be rare in that part of Labrador. On dissecting them, I found them to be a male and a female, and saw that the latter had laid eggs that season. It is therefore probable that the two which left the nest at the approach of the party were the young birds.
I made my drawing of them the day after their death. It was one of the severest tasks which I ever performed, and was done under the most disagreeable circumstances. I sat up nearly the whole of the night, to sketch them in outline. The next day it rained for hours, and the water fell on my paper and colours all the while from the rigging of the Ripley.
The weight of the female was 3 pounds 2 ounces, that of the male 2 pounds 14 ounces avoirdupois. Their flesh was tough and bluish, and their whole structure was remarkable for the indications of strength which it exhibited. The intestines measured 4 feet 9 inches. The heart was extremely large, and very remarkable for its firmness. The liver also was large. The stomach, which was thin, contained remains of fish, feathers, and hair.
From the account which I received from my son and his companions, I would willingly suppose that no one had ever before disturbed their solitude. They flew about and close to them, as if altogether unacquainted with the effects of a gun. The young appeared full grown, and, as if aware of the fate of their parents, alighted only on the highest and most inaccessible parts of the rocks around. Both the specimens procured were carefully skinned and preserved. One is in my possession; the other I gave to my worthy and generous friend John Bachman.
When I first saw this noble pair of Falcons, I thought, as I have above said, that they were new; but since my return to Europe, I have seen several specimens, which, though not altogether similar in the tints of the plumage, agree in most other respects with them, in so far as I can judge from the comparison of skins shrunk or distended beyond measure, such as we too often see in museums. These specimens are said to be young birds of the famous Iceland Falcon, and I am disposed to think that my birds belong to the same species.
That this species, as well as many others, should mate and produce young, before obtaining its full plumage, is not a singular phenomenon. I am persuaded that many years elapse before it obtains its perfect plumage, from the remarks made by a gentleman not yet personally known to me, although acquainted with my son Victor, Mr John Heppenstall, of Upper Thorpe, near Sheffield, who has kept one of these birds alive for more than three years. Of his letter to my son, which is dated "5th month 14th 1834," the following is an extract. "The bird thou saw when at my house is yet living, in perfect health, which it has always been in since I possessed it. I have now had it a little more than three years. It came over from Iceland in a whaler to Hull, and was presented by the owner of the vessel to a friend of mine, from whom I obtained it. I believe it must have been a bird of the preceding year's brood. It is therefore four years old, not less certainly, and may be considered adult. It has always moulted early, and has already cast a number of its primary quill-feathers, and several of the scapulars, although not disfigured. It is a very powerful, strong bird, and were it to be carried such a distance in confinement, it would struggle so much, that I am afraid it would very much injure its this year's moult at this time, and I think thou should have much difficulty in securing it. I shall now describe the bird, that thy father may be able to judge how far it may probably be of the same species as the one he has lately discovered and brought out.
"In length I should think it does not much exceed the Rough-legged Falcon, but in every other respect is larger, being very broad and powerful, the legs and thighs much stronger and formidable. When seen with its head towards you, in the act of tearing its food, it conveys an idea of very great power. Its breadth, and particularly its powerful thighs, are then seen to very great advantage. The legs and feet are very much the type of the Peregrine Falcon, and indeed the whole form of the bird, only that it is so much stronger, even more than its increased bulk alone would occasion. It has always got through the moult very well and nothing can be more perfect than its general state of plumage, and it is a very cleanly bird.
"The head, neck, throat, breast, belly, and legs (which are feathered to within an inch of the toes), are the most pure white, and the plumage very compact. The first year I had it, all these parts were slightly marked with delicate pencilled lines lengthwise, but have now totally disappeared, except one or two faint ones on the outside of the thighs. The back and tail are also pure white; the two middle feathers of the tail are a little barred on each side the shaft, which is dark coloured, as also the primary quills of the wings. The back, scapulars, wing-coverts, and primary quills, are all elegantly marked with a dark mouse colour, the markings on the primary quills, which are chiefly towards the tip, approach nearly to black. The tail when closed is a little rounded at the tip; the under side of the wings and vent pure white. The bill, which is notched in a very graceful form, is pale blue, inclining to black at the tip and also at the notchings. Cere, orbits, and legs, yellow, which seems to increase in depth. When I first had it, they were not then tinged with yellow, but the colour of a very white-legged fowl: claws black and powerful, inner one largest. The eye, which is exceedingly bright and piercing, and does not appear to have changed, seems black, but on close inspection, in a good light, is evidently dark-brown. Between the cere and the orbits, and under the eye, the hairy feathers, which lie close, and are pure white, are intermixed with hairs of black, which lie pretty close to the head.
"Were I to guess the weight, I should say it was double that of the Rough-legged Falcon. The wings reach nearly to the tip of the tail."