196 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



A. gentilis atricapillus (Wilson). Above like " schvedowi " ; 

 beneath with broad black shaft stripes and irregular ashy grey 

 bands. 



A North American race ; is said to have occurred Ireland 

 and Scotland. 



ACCIPITER. 



Wing shorter and more rounded; tarsus long, lower part 

 bare; swift, active and bold in hunting; nest of sticks on 

 trees or rocks ; eggs pale blue, spotless or blotched and 

 spotted with reddish brow^n. 



Accipiter nisus nisus (L.). Sparrow-Hawk. Fr. 

 Epervier ; Ger. Sperber ; Ital. Sparviere ; Swcd. Sparfhok. 



^ Above slaty grey, cheeks rufous, feathers of crown and 

 nape with white bases ; beneath white barred rufous ; quills 

 and tail above with dark bars, below greyish white with dark 

 bars ; flanks rufous, under tail coverts uniform white or slightly 

 spotted. ? Above browner, cheeks and feathers of crown and 

 nape as in ^ ; beneath white barred brown, flanks rufous in some, 

 occasionally entire underparts rufous (said to attain plumage of 

 ^ in advanced age). Bill slate, tip darker. Cere yellowish. 

 Legs and feet yellow. Iris orange. Wing $ 183-205, ? 210-250. 

 Tarsus ^ 50-55, ? 56-61. Middle toe over 40. Bill $ 10-12, 

 $ 11-14. Young: more or less rufous about head and neck and 

 brown with rufous margins on upper parts ; underparts white 

 barred brown or with round spots and cross bars connected 

 with shaft lines. 



Breeds. — British Isles and Continental Europe, Urals, Caucasus 

 and in W. Asia. Partly migratory ; occurs in winter N.W. Africa, 

 Egypt, Arabia and Soudan. 



"A. nisus gallias" Kleinschmidt from France is not separ- 

 able. 



A. nisus punicus Erlanger. ^ Slightly paler on upper parts 

 and with a more rufous appearance on underparts. Wing 

 ^ 203-212, ? 243-255 (H.). 



Resident. — N.W. Africa ; probably also breeds S. Spain. Has 

 occurred Malta. 



