FALCON ID.E — FALCONIN.E: FALCONS. 



671 



verse spots of white or whitish on inner webs; outer webs often showing traces of ashy 

 markiui^s; a similar pattern continued on secondaries. Under parts wliite, or whitish, gener- 

 ally pure and immaculate on throat, elsewhere tinged with tawny or ochraceous, almost every- 

 where longitudinally streaked witli dark umber-brttwn ; the individual streaks very variable in 

 size and distinctness, generally blackish-shafted, as a rule heavy and thick on breast, more 

 strict on flags and vent, changing to spots or even bars on flanks; these latter markings 

 sometimes involved in a bluish clouding. Side of head with fine dark pencilling on a light or 

 whitish ground, not gathered into a maxillary stripe, but C(.)alescing on ear-coverts; a })retty 

 well-defined light superciliary streak ; markings of side of head confluent on nape, forming a 

 nuchal band which interrupts continuity of color of upper parts. Iris brown; feet yellow; 

 claws and most of bill bluish-black; cere and base of bill greenish-yellow. This plumage is 

 comparatively seldom seen. Length about 11.00; extent about 23.50; wing 7.50-8.00; tail 



Fig. 4(51. — Pigeon Hawk. 



5.00-5.50; tarsus 1..35; middle toe without claw 1.25. Adult 9 » ''^i"l specimens of either sex, 

 as usually observed: Pattern of coloration as before, but ujijier parts and tail quite ditterent. 

 Above, the blui.sh shade replaced by dark umber-brown, nearly uniform, or only interrupted by 

 the nuchal band of streaks, but feathers usually with ap[»reciahly paler edges and black sliaft- 

 lines, the latter especially on head. Tail like back, and tipped with white, and crosse<l by 

 about 4 other narrow whiti.sh or light ochraceous bauds, formed of bars or transverse spots on 

 both webs of the feathers ; uppermost of these bands lying under the coverts; generally only 3 

 exposed ones, besides the terminal one; intervenintj dark zones all of about the same width, 

 say 1.00, hut subterrninal one usually rather wider than the others. Pattern of quill- 

 feathers as in ^ , but spots rather tawny or fulvous than whitish. Under parts as l)efore, but 

 ground color ranixiui; from nearly white to ([uite rich buff or even fulvous, and showiui,' a wiile 

 range of variation in heaviue.ss of streaking. Leni^th of 9 about 12.50; extent almut 20.50 ; 

 wing 8.00-ri.50; tail 5..">(> (I.OO. In quite young birds. eiiiiinL's <if f.itli.r- t>f upper parts may 



