Mr. R. B. Sharpens Catalogue of Accipitres. 295 



occasiou subsequently to allude, is, I think, referable to F. 

 melanogenys. 



Both in the Old World aud in the New, some specimens of F. 

 peregriiius exhibit, Avheu immature, a much darker tint on the 

 browu portions of their plumage than is the case Avith others ; 

 and these two phases of coloration iu the immature dress pass, 

 when the bird matures, into corresponding darker and paler 

 hues of the slate-coloured portious of the adult plumage"^, 

 the darker birds also becoming more rufous on the breast 

 than those whose slate-colour on the upper surface is of a 

 paler cast. 



When this species first attains its adult plumage, Avhich it 

 does early iu its second year, the crop is, in most instances, 

 more conspicuously streaked with dark shaft-marks, the upper 

 breast spotted more profusely and with larger spots, and the 

 lower breast more completely crossed by transverse bars than 

 is the case subsequently, when the blackish spots on the upper 

 breast decrease in number and size, and the dark bars on the 

 central portions of the lower breast break up into spots, the 

 ultimate number, size, and shape of which vary considerably 

 in different individuals. It would seem, however, that this 

 breaking up of the transverse bars into spots sometimes, 

 though, I think, but rarely, occurs as early as the second 

 year. Captain Legge showed me a female from Ceylon in 

 nearly full adult plumage, but still retaining some slight 

 vestiges of the first year's dress, in Avhich the breast and 

 abdomen were entirely spotted, only the flanks, thighs, and 

 under tail-coverts being cross-barred ; and the nearly adult 

 male from Sandalwood Island, which, as I have already men- 

 tioned, is preserved iu the Norwich Museum, presents a very 

 similar phase of plumage, the first adult breast-feathers being 

 simply spotted with black, and not transversely barred. 



This peculiarity of the extended prevalence of spots, rather 

 than bars, on the breast and the abdomen seems to obtain 

 more decidedly in some Indian and Ceylonese Peregrines 

 than in any 1 have seen from other localities, as instances of 

 which I may mention an Indian female presented by Capt. 

 * Conf, Nuwtou'b ' Yurrell/ vol. i. p. O-j. 



