Lot Essay
This Gyrfalcon was described by Gould as 'Greenland Gyrfalcon dark phased young bird'. See lot 10 for a dark phased adult 'Greenland Gyrfalcon' and details of the distribution.
Gould was greatly puzzled by the different colourings of the large northern falcons 'by some persons it may be supposed that the individuals of the dark race change their plumage as they advance in age, and ultimately become white...' He added that this could not be true as a Greenland Falcon which lived at the Zoological Gardens never showed any sign of change.
Gould drew attention to Wolf's knowledge of falcons, and his great artistic ability. He trusted that these illustrations would give the same enjoyment to readers as Wolf's previous work, the magnificent book on falconry, Shlegel and Wulverhorst's Traitè de Fauconnerie.
A dark-phased young bird with its prey of a partridge is illustrated with an adult in flight in the distance
Gould was greatly puzzled by the different colourings of the large northern falcons 'by some persons it may be supposed that the individuals of the dark race change their plumage as they advance in age, and ultimately become white...' He added that this could not be true as a Greenland Falcon which lived at the Zoological Gardens never showed any sign of change.
Gould drew attention to Wolf's knowledge of falcons, and his great artistic ability. He trusted that these illustrations would give the same enjoyment to readers as Wolf's previous work, the magnificent book on falconry, Shlegel and Wulverhorst's Traitè de Fauconnerie.
A dark-phased young bird with its prey of a partridge is illustrated with an adult in flight in the distance