64 



FALCONID.E. 



brown, showing more plainly on under surface, which is ashy white, 

 washed with rufous on inner web ; upper tail-coverts white ; tail 

 greyish brown, tipped with whitish, crossed with five bands of darker 

 brown, the subterminal one much broader; the interspaces on the 

 outer feathers pale creamy buff, more or less shaded with ashy on 

 outer web ; frontal feathers and plumes above and below the eye 

 ■whitish ; ear-coverts and cheeks rufous, streaked with dark brown ; 

 facial ruff buffy white, streaked with brown ; sides of neck and under 

 surface of body pale tawny buff, inclining to whitish on lower breast 

 and abdomen, broadly streaked with brown, rather more narrowly 

 on abdomen and thighs, where the streaks are washed with rufous ; 

 iinder wing-coverts coloured like the back ; flanks and axillaries 

 dark brown, spotted on both webs with rounded spots of creamy 

 buff; cere greenish yellow ; bill blackish ; feet yellow ; iris reddish 

 brown. Total length 21-5 inches, wing 15-0-15-6, tail 10-5-11-0, 

 tarsus 3'lo. 



Obs. By the rufous bars on the tail a young female can be distin- 

 guished from an old bird. In both sexes the streaks on the breast 

 become narrower with age, though the females of English birds are 

 more broadly streaked below, and are darker than those from 

 Europe or India. The males are supposed to breed in the brown 

 plumage, and do not get the blue dress tiU the second autumn, when 

 it is assumed by a moult. 



Hab. Throughout Europe and Siberia, extending a little above 

 the line of 60° N. lat., and ascending westwards from about 50° 

 E. long, northwards to the top of Norway. Found in all countries 

 bordering the Mediterranean, and extending in winter to N.E, 

 Africa, N. India, and China. 



