;62 



FALCON AXU EAGLE GROUP 



flanks is invariably darker than in cither the Iceland or the south 

 Greenland ger-falcon. Up to the close of last century only four 

 British examples of this bird were recorded, namely, one from Sussex 



MOUNTeO IN THE RUM 



>R0 STUO'OS 



irKI.ANI) lAI.CON HOVKKING. 



in January 1845, ^ second from Suffolk in October 1867, a third 

 from Norfolk in the sprinij of 1883, and a fourth from Essex in 

 December 1891. A female provisionally assigned to this species was 

 trapped at Hatfield Broadoak in December 1901. 



Red-footed Falcon -"^^ ^"^ ^'"^^ classed by some writers with the kestrels, 



(ErvthroDus ^'^'^^ ^^' 0^^'''^^^ included in the genus Falco, the red- 



vespertinus) f^ooted falcon is best regarded, partly on account of 



the marked difference in the colouring of the sexes, 



as the representative of a distinct genus of falcons, which also includes 



the eastern Eryiliropus aniurotsis. When fully adult, the males arc 



almost uniformly dark grey, while the colouring of the females is more 



like that of a hobby than a kestrel. As in the peregrine falcon, the 



wing is pointed, with the second quill the longest, and the first longer 



than the third ; but the foot is proportionately smaller, although larger 



than in kestrels, the middle toe being only slightly shorter than the 



shank of the leg. The tail, too, is rounded, and not of the graduated 



type characteristic of the kestrels. 



In the aclult male the general colour of the upper-parts is leaden 

 grey, paler on the wing-coverts, while most of the under-parts is bluish 

 grey, with faint dark streaks to the feathers, the abdomen and under 

 tail-coverts being, however, together with the long feathers on the legs, 

 rufous chestnut. The species takes its name from the bright browni.sh 



