674 



SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — RAPTORES — A CCIPITRES. 



F. {2E.) reg'ulus. (Lat. a little king, a kinglet, dim. of rex, king.) Pallas' Pigeon 

 Hawk. EuRorEAN Merlin. Size and proportions of the speoies last described ; markings 

 of tail and wings more numerous and less firm. Adult $ : Middle tail-feathers crossed by 

 about six imperfect dark bars, in addition to the broad subtermiual baud. Adult 9 and young 

 $ : These tail-feathers crossed by about eight light bars, including the terminal one. {F. regii- 

 lus Pallas, Reise Russich. Reichs. ii, 1773, p. 707; F. asalon Tunstall, Orn. Brit. 1771, 

 p. 1, and of most authors. Accipiter merillus Gerini, Orn. 17(37, i, p. 51, pis. xviii, xix.) This 

 well-known European and Asiatic Falcon, belonging to the subgenus ^salon, is recorded as 

 accidental at sea oft" Greenland. See Kumleix, Auk, Oct. 1887, p. 345; CouES, Key, 4th ed. 

 1890, p. 904; A. O. U. List, 2d ed. 1895, No. [358. 1.]. 



(/S^ft^enMs Tinnunculus: Kestrels.) 



F. (T.) tinnun'culus. (Lat. a small kind of Hawk, perhaps this species.) European 

 Kestrel or Windhover. The type of this section of the genus, and in general resembling 

 our Sparrow Hawk as next described. Adult ^ : Above, slate-gray, including the tail, the 

 latter with a broad black subtermiual band and white tip, the head with dusky shaft-lines, the 

 back rufous, spotted with black ; quills dusky with light edgings ; below, fawn-colored fir buff, 

 more rufous on the ftanks and crissum, spotted on the belly and streaked on the breast with 

 dusky ; tail viewed from below grayish-white. Bill bluish ; cere, orbits, and feet yellow ; 

 claws black; iris brown. 9 ^^tid Jf'ung above reddish-brown, barred with black. ^ ^ : 

 Length about 12.50; wing 9.00; tail 6.50. This well-known bird of Europe and Asia has 

 been detected as a straggler in Massachusetts. See Cory, Auk, Jan. 1888, p. 110, and A]m\, 

 1888, p. 205; CouES,lvey, 4th ed. 1890, p. 904; A. 0. U. List, 2d ed. 1895, No. [359. 1.]. 

 F. (T.) sparve'rius. (Lat. SjMrvenus, a sparrower. Figs. 462, 463, 464.) American 

 Kestrel or Windhover. Rusty-crowxed Falcon. Sparrow Hawk. Smallest of our 

 Falconince; sexes unlike in color, but of nearly the same size, contrary to the rule in this fam- 

 ily. Tail rounded, at least f as long as the wing, usually 

 more. Wings pointed by 2d and 3d quills ; 1st about equal to 

 4th ; 1st and 2d emarginate on inner webs near end ; 2d and 

 3d sinuate on outer webs. Tarsus feathered but a little way 

 down in front, decidedly longer than middle toe without claw, 

 usually surpassing middle toe and claw. Young differing 

 less than usual from adults of their respective sexes. Adult 

 ^ 9 • Crown ashy-blue, with a chestnut patch, sometimes 

 small or altogether wanting, sometimes occupying nearly all 

 the crown. Conspicuous black maxillary and auricular 

 patches which, with 3 others around nape, make 7 places in 

 all, usually evident, but some of them often obscure or wanting. Back cinnamon-rufous, or 

 chestnut, like the cnnvn-patch, in ^ with a few black spots or none, in 9 "'ith numerous black 

 bars. Wing-coverts of ^ fine ashy-blue, like crown, with or without black spots; of 9 cin- 

 namon-rufous and black-barred, like back. Quill feathers in ^ 9 blackish, usually with pale 

 edges and tips, and inner webs with numerous white indentations, or bars continuous along 

 inner webs, leaving black chiefly in a series of dentations proceeding from shafts ; ends of secon- 

 daries usually also slaty-blue like coverts. Tail bright chestnut, in ^ with white tip, broad 

 black subtermiual zone, and outer feathers mostly white with several black bars; in 9 whole 

 tail with numerous imperfect black bars. Under parts white, variously tinged with bufi" or 

 tawny, in ^ with a few black spots or none, in 9 with many dark brown streaks ; throat and 

 vent usually immaculate. Bill dark horn ; cere and feet yellow or orange. Length, either 

 sex, 10.00-11.00; extent 20.00-23.00; win^ 6.50-8.00; tail 4.50-6.00; tarsus 1.35; middle toe 



Fio. 4G3. — Sparrow Hawk, nat. size. 

 (Ad. nat. del. E. C.) 



