He put his gerfalcon on the perch provided in the hall for such use by the guests.

Or shall I show you, sire, how a peregrine may win where a gerfalcon fails?

And who that putteth that knight to the worse shall have a fair maid and a gerfalcon.

To Audubon's delight, it was that rare specimen, the gerfalcon, which had heretofore eluded all efforts of naturalists.