falcon ix.e. 41 



Eed Legged Falcon. 



Descr. — Young bird above dark slaty grey, some of the feathers 

 centred and tipped darker ; tail light grey, obsoletely barred ; ocular 

 region and cheek stripe nearly black ; narrow frontal band, superci- 

 lium, lores, ear feathers, and sides of the neck and throat white ; 

 breast and abdomen rusty white, with blackish brown marks, longi- 

 tudinal on the breast, heart-shaped on the sides, and arrow-like 

 on the centre of the abdomen; vent, under tail coverts, and thigh 

 coverts, pale unspotted rusty; bill fleshy red, with a dusky tip ; 

 cere and legs deep orange red ; claws fleshy ; orbitar skin orange 

 yellow. 



The adult male has the whole upper plumage unspotted ashy ; 

 pale ashy beneath; chin and throat whitish ; wings dusky black; 

 thigh coverts, and under tail coverts, bright, rusty red. 



Wings slightly shorter than the tail. 



Length of a female 11| inches; wing 9^ ; extent 27; tail 5. A 

 male was nearly 11 inches long, and had the wing 8f. 



Although the adult male in its mode of coloration resembles the 

 Kestrils, especially the lesser Kestril, yet the colors of the young 

 bird and female approach more to that of the Hobbies. Its changes 

 of plumage are not very fully known, and w^e are unaware if the 

 female ever assumes that of the adult male. It is not common in 

 India, but is generally spread throughout the country. I have 

 killed it on the Neilgherries, in the Carnatic, in Central India ; and 

 it is not very unfrequent in Lower Bengal, and the neighbourhood 

 of Calcutta, during the rainy season only. It is found all along 

 the Himalayan range. I procured it arDarjeeling. Out of India it 

 is found in tlie South of Europe, in Central and Western Asia, and 

 in N. Africa. Not much is known of its habits. Those that I exa- 

 mined myself had partaken of insects only. It is said to be very 

 social, both hunting and breeding in small parties. Fellowcs says 

 that it is very common in Asia Elinor, building its nests under tlie 

 roofs, and sometimes even in the interior of houses. Accorduig to 

 Pallas it hvmts towards the evening, kills spiders, water insects, and 

 occasionally swallows, and breeds in deserted crows' nests. 



