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Gyrfalcon, Gerfalcon

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or Jerfalcon. A native of Iceland and Norway, highest in the list of hawks for falconry. “Gyr,” or “Ger,” is, I think, the Dutch gier, a vulture. It is called the “vulture-falcon” because, like the vulture, its beak is not toothed. The common etymology from hieros, sacred, “because the Egyptians held the hawk to be sacred,” is utterly worthless. Besides Ger-falcons, we have Gier-eagles, Lammer-geiers, etc. (See Hawk.)

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Guy, Earl of Warwick
Guy-ropes
Guyon (Sir)
Gwynn (Nell)
Gygēs Ring
Gymnastics
Gymnosophists
Gyneth
Gyp
Gypsy
Gyrfalcon, Gerfalcon
Gyromancy
Gytrash
H