■131 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



nine feet from the giound, its location being a shallow cavity, 

 caused by the breaking off of the main limb, the upper part of 

 which projected over sufficiently to fonn a protection from the sun 

 and rain. 



SuBOEKCs ^salon Kaip. 



^salon Kacp. 8k. Ent Eur. Thlorw. 1829. W. Type Falco atalon Gmeu 



The species of this subgenus may be distinguished by the follow- 

 ing characters : 



CoMMOs Characters. AdiiU maho plumbeous blue above, the featberH with dunky 

 shafls; tail more or less bnnded with black, and tipped with whitish. Beneath whitish. 

 liufTy, or liKht rusty, slrlped with brownish. Ailult /imali'ii. Above browninh. with 

 iliirkiir shaft-streaks. Tall usually with nve to eiclit. more or less distinct, lichlcr bauds 

 (all but the terminal ono sometimes obsolete in F. siick-lfuil- Beneath whitish, bully, or 

 oehraceous. striped with dusky or brownish. Youno {both seres). Similar to the adult 

 female, but colore softer, more blended. 



A. Tail of adult male with six Imperfect blackish bands, besides the subterminal broad 

 black zone. Adult female and young with about eight light bands. Including the ter- 

 minal one. 



IF. reguhis, of Europe and Northern Asia.) 



B. Tail of adult male with only three or four blackish bands, besides the broader sub- 

 termlnnl one. Adult temalo and young never with more than six light bands, Includ- 

 ing the terminal one. 



1. F. richardsoni. .\rluU male. Above pearl-blue or pale ashy blue, the crown 

 more or lc!is tinged with oehraceous. Tail crossed by five dark and six light 

 bands, the latter more or less mixed or clouded with white; outer webs of pri- 

 maries distinctly spotted with light bluish gray, the inner web of the longest 

 with eight white spots. ■"Mustache" obsolete, or but very slightly indicated. 

 Lower parts bulT, or buffy white, the tibi.T and a nuchal collar more oehraceous. 

 Breast, etc.. rather broadly striped with brownish. Vr'ing.7.70-8.6U; tall. 5.00-6.00; 

 culmen, .Btt-.tJ«»: tarsus. 1.4i-1.55; middle toe. 1.20-1.30. Adult female. Above 

 earthy brown, more or less distinctly marked with transverse spots of a lighter 

 shade. Tail with six very distinct and perfectly continuous whitish bands; 

 secondaries distini'tly banded with oehraceous. and outer webs of primaries 

 distinctly spotted with a lighter tint of the same. Beneath white or bulTy, the 

 breast, etc.. broadly striped with light brown. Wing. 8.50-9.W1; tall, 6.00-6.90; cul- 

 men, .55-.58; tarsus, 1.55-1.65; middle toe, l..%-1.40; Young. Similar to the adult 

 female, but more decidedly bulTy below, the upper parts more or less tinged 

 with rusty. 



2. F. columbarius. A'luU male. Above much darker plumbeous. Tail crossed by 

 not ninrc than four dark or five light bands (including terminal one). Adult 

 female and tjoung. Very variable in color, but tail never with more than four 

 dark or live light bauds, including the whitish tip. 



a. columbarius. AiluU female aad j/oiinff with distinct light .spots on inner 

 webs of primaries, and the light bands on the tall more or less distinct, 

 Male: Wing,7.20-7.90; tail, 4.90-5.50; culmen,. 48-..'>fl; tarsus, I.IIO- 1.40; middle 

 toe, 1.15. Female: Wing,x.00-«i.55; tail,5.50-6.0ii; culmen, .55-.riO; lar8U8,1.55- 

 1.60; middle toe, 1.35-1. to. 



/5. surkleiii. Adult female and youug. \tMtout distinct spots on inner webs 

 of primaries, or light l>ands on tall (except the whitish tip), these 

 markings being sometimes wholly obsolete. General color much darker, 

 the lower parts even with dusky pri'domlnating. Male: Wing. 7.35-7.70; 

 tail, 5.25-5.6(1; culmen, .48-.50; tarsus, l.:iO-1.45; middle toe, 1.20. Female: Wing. 

 8.25-8.50; tall,5.7(>-5.S0; culmen. .55-.60; Uirsus, 1.50-1.60; middle toe. 1.35-1.40. 

 iAdult male unknoini!) 



