FALCUNID^ — THE FALCONS. 239 



black; on the sides and tibiic these streaks are cxjianded into a more acuminate, 

 elliptical form ; the crissum only is immaculate, although the throat is only very sparsely 

 streaked ; on the ear-coverts the streaks are very fine and numerous, but uniformly dis- 

 tributed. 



No. 18,404 (west of Fort Benton, on the Missouri, May IG, 18G4 ; Captain .Jas. A. 

 MuUan, var. siriatuliis). Similar to No. 2G,920, but colors much darker. Upper parts with 

 dark brown prevailing, the pale borders to the feathers very narrow, and the basal very 

 restricted and concealed ; upper tail-coverts deep ashy-umber, tipped narrowly with 

 white, and with large subterminal, transversely cordate, and other anterior bars of 

 dusky. Tail ashy-brown, much darker than in No. 26,920, with five broad, sharply 

 defined bands of blackish, without any distinct light bordering bar. White of the lower 

 parts entirely destitute of any yellowish tinge, the stripes much broader than in No. 

 2G,920, and deep brownish-lslack, the shafts not perceptibly darker ; tibire with transverse 

 bars of dusky ; lower tail-coverts with transverse spots of the same. Wing, 12.2.5 ; tail, 

 9.70. 



Young female (second year. No. 26,921, Nova Scotia; W. G. Winton). Head above, 

 nape, rump, and upper tail-coverts, with a deep oclu-aceous tinge ; the characters of 

 markings, however, as in the male. Bands on the tail more sharply defined, the narrow 

 white bar separating the black from the grayish bauds more continuous and conspicuous; 

 lateral feathers more mottled ; grayish tip of tail passing terminally into white. Beneath 

 with a faint ochraceous wash, this most apparent on the lining of the wings and tibife ; 

 streaks as in the male, but rather more numerous, the throat being thickly streaked. 



No. ] 1,740 fPuget Sound, October 26, 18.58 ; Dr. C. B. Kennerly. Var. striatubis). 

 Similar to No. 18,404, but more uniformly blackish above ; tip of tail more distinctly 

 whitish ; stripes beneath broader and deeper black, becoming broader and more tear- 

 shaped posteriorly, some of the markings on the flanks being cordate, or even transverse. 

 Wing-formula, 4, .5, 3 - 6, 2 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 = 1. Wing, 13.00 ; tail, 10.80 ; tarsus, 2.80 ; 

 middle toe, 1.80. 



young femah (first year, No. 49,G62, Calais, Me. ; G. A. Boardman). Differs from 

 the female in the second year (No. 2G,921) as follows : On the wings and upper tail- 

 coverts the yellowish-white spots are less concealed, or, in fact, this forms the ground- 

 color ; secondary coverts ochraceous-white, with two very distant transverse spots of 

 dark brown, rather narrower than the white spaces ; tips of feathers broadly white ; 

 secondaries grayish-brown, tipped with white, more mottled with the same toward bases, 

 and crossed by five bands of dark brown, the first two of which are concealed by the 

 coverts, the last quite a distance from the end of the feathers: upper tail-coverts w-hite, 

 mottled on inner webs with brown, each with two transverse broad bars, and a sub- 

 terminal cordate spot of dark brown, the last not touching the edge of the feather, and 

 the anterior bars both concealed by the overlaying feather. Tail grayish-brown, tipped 

 with white, and with six bands of blacki,?h-brown ; these bordered with white as in the 

 older stage. Markings beneath as in the older stage, but those on the sides more cordate. 

 Wing-formula, 4, 5, s"- 6 - 7 - 2 - 8 - 9, 1, 10. Wing, 14.00 ; tail, 11.50. 



In regard to the form indicated in the above description.? as " var. striatulus, 

 Eidgway," I am as yet undecided whether to recognize it as a geographical 

 race, or to merely consider the two adult plumages as representing diflerent 

 ages of the same form. Certain it is that there is a decided difference in 

 the young plumage, between the birds of tliis species from the eastern portion 

 of North America and those from the western regions ; these differences con- 

 sisting in the very nnich darker colors of the western individuals, as shown 

 by the above descriptions. My first impression in regard to the adult dress, 



