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FALCO PEREGRINUS. 



colour, of which there is also a band over the eyes. The 

 feathers gradually become grey toward the base ; the scapulars 

 have several light red spots toward the margins ; the primaries 

 are black, their inner webs marked with transverse light red 

 spots, of which there are ten on the first quill ; the secondaries 

 are similarly marked on their inner webs, and on the outer 

 have very inconspicuous spots of the same. The tail is black, 

 shaded with grey, tipped with reddish-white, and barred with 

 spots of light red, of which there are five on each web of the 

 middle feathers, and seven on those of the outer, the spots on 

 the outer webs being small and roundish, on the inner trans- 

 verse. The mystachial band is black ; the lower parts reddish- 

 wdiite, with longitudinal brownish-black streaks, which are 

 broader on the sides, some of the elongated feathers of which 

 are of that colour, with lateral round spots of light red ; the 

 lower tail -coverts, however, are barred with greyish-black ; 

 the lower wing-coverts variegated with reddish-white and 

 greyish-black. The females have the upper parts somewhat 

 tinged with brown. Individuals vary in tint, and in the mark- 

 ings, especially of the tail, which are more or less extended 

 across the webs. 



Pkogress toward Maturity. — At the second moult, the 

 birds assume the colouring described as peculiar to the adult, 

 differing only in having the markings on the lower parts larger, 

 and the upper parts less blue. The tint becomes purer and 

 lighter as the birds advance in age. 



