SPARROW HAWK.. 243 



second, tlie fust vciy slioit, equal only to the first se- 

 c'ondary ; or, the fourth is longest, the fifth nearly as 

 long, in some instances the longest, the third equal to 

 -the sixth, the second to tlie seventh, tlie first to the 

 tenth. The first five are sliglitly ciit out on the outer, 

 the first four more deeply on the inner edge. The se- 

 condary quills are thirteen, broad and rounded. The. 

 tail is long, even, of twelve ratlser broad, rounded fea- 

 thers. 



The bill is light blue at the base, bluish-black at the 

 end ; the cere and eyelids greenish-yellow ; the iris 

 orange. The palate is livid blue. The tarsi and toes 

 are yellow; the claws black, pale bluish at the base. 



The general colour of the plumage on the upper parts 

 !s deep greyish-blue, the shafts darker. The feathers 

 on the occiput are white at the base, that colour appear- 

 ing more or less as they are raised, and there is a large 

 white spot on each of the scapulars, although it is not 

 seen until the feathers are raised. The outer prima- 

 ries are tinged with brown ; all the quills are marked 

 on the inner web with dusky bands, between which the 

 inner margins are reddish-white. The tail has six 

 broad bands of blackish-brown, and is tipped with 

 greyish-white. The cheeks are yellowish-red, and the 

 forehead is tinged with the same colour. The throat 

 and fore part of the neck are pale red, which colour 

 prevails on the breast and sides, where it is chiefly dis- 

 posed in transverse bands ; each feather, however, has 

 five bands of white, and six of pale red and dusky ; the 

 shafts on the fore part of the neck dark, on the breast 

 white, with two or three dark marks, on the abdomen 

 white. The bars gradually disappear on the abdomen, 



