148 



KORTII A.MKIUCAX BIRDS. 



bird ; it sliould then be considered as rather a geographical race, co-equal to 

 the Falco gurfcilco, var. lahradora, F. pcrcgriuus, var. 2'>colci, and other forms, 

 and not conl'ovinded witli the individual condition of melanism, as seen in 

 certain species of Biitcones. 



Second quill longest; first quill equal to, a little .shorter than, or a little longer than, 

 the fourth. 



Tar. ricliardsoili. liiriGwiY 



RICHARDSON'S MERLIN. 



Falco (ssalon, KicH. & SwAixs. F. B. \. U, pi. x.xv, 1S31. — Nutt. Man. Oin. II, 55S. — 

 CouE-s, P. A. N. S. Pliilad. 1866, p. 42 (hi text). Falco {Hypolriorclm) ricliardsoni, 

 KiDGw.w, P. A. N. S. Pliilad. Dec. 1870, 145. Falco ricliardsoni, CouEs, Key, 1872, 

 p. 214. 



Sp. Char. Adult male like the female and young? The known stages of plumage 

 more like the adult female and young of var. lilhofalco (F. a:salon, AucT.) than like var. 

 columharius. 



Adult male (Smithsonian, No. 5,171, mouth of the Vermilion River, near the Missouri, 

 October 25, 1856; Lieutenant Warren, Dr. Hayden). Upper plumage dull earth-brown, 

 each feather gravish-umber centrally, and with a conspicuous black sliaft-line. Head 

 above approaching ashy-white anteriorly, the black shaft-streaks being verj' conspicuous. 

 Secondaries, primarj' coverts, and primaries margined terminally with dull white ; the pri- 

 mary coverts with two transverse series of pale ochraceous spots ; outer webs of primaries 

 with spots of the same, corresponding with those on the inner webs. Upper tail-coverts 

 tipped, and spotted beneath the surface, with white. Tail clear drab, much lighter than 

 the primaries, but growing darker terminally, having basally a slightly ashy cast; cro.ssed 

 with six sharply defined, perfectly continuous bands (the last terminal) of a.shy-wliite. 

 Head, frontally, laterally, and beneath, — a collar around the nape (interrujiting the brown 

 above), — and the entire lower part«, white, somewhat ochraceous, this most perceptible 

 on the tibia; ; cheeks and ear-coverts with sparse, fine hair-like streaks of black ; nuchal 

 collar, jugulum, breast, abdomen, sides, and flanks with a medial linear strijie of clear 

 ochre-brown on each feather ; these stripes broadest on the Hanks ; each stripe witli a 

 conspicuously black sliaft-streak ; tibiie and lower tail-coverts with fine shaft-streaks of 

 brown, like the broader stripes of the other portions. Chin and throat, only, immaculate. 

 Lining of the wing spotted with ochraceous-white and brown, in about equal amount, 

 the former in spots approaching the shaft. Inner webs of primaries with transverse broad 

 bars of pale ochraceous, — eight on the longest. Wing-lbrmula, 2, 3-4, 1. Wing, 7.70 ; 

 tail, 5.00; culmen, .50 ; tarsu.sl.30; middle toe, 1.25 ; outer, .85 ; inner, .70; posterior, .50. 



Adult female (58,983, Berthond's Pa.ss, Rocky Mountains, Colorado Territory ; Dr. F. 

 V. Hayden, James Stevenson). Differing in coloration from the male only in the points 

 of detail. Ground-color of the upper parts clear grayish-drab, the feathers with con- 

 spicuously black shafts; all the feathers with pairs of rather indistinct rounded ochraceous 



