Henninger-Jones — On Fai.cones of North America. 305 

 THE FALCONES OF NORTH AMERICA. 



BY W. F. HENNINGER AND LYNDS JONES. 



FALCO FUSCO CCFRULESCENS (ViciUot). 

 Aplomado Falcon. 



Geographical Distribution. 

 Southern Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, south to Pata- 

 gonia. (Check List). 



Measurements. 

 Male : Length 38, wing 23.5 to 27, tail 16 to 20.5, tarsus 4.3 

 to 4.7, middle toe 3.4 to 3.8, culmen 1.5 to 1.8. 



Female : Length 49, wing 28 to 29.5, tail 20 to 22.4, tarsus 

 4.G to 5, middle toe 4 to 4.3, culmen 1.7 to 2.1. 



Diagnostic Marks, 



Broad white band behind the eye, tail crossed by white bands 

 and darker toward the tip, bluish-gray back, lighting on the 

 ground. 



Plumage. 



Above, plain bluish-gray, tail darker toward end, tipped with 

 white, and crossed by about eight narrow bands of the same, 

 broad stripes behind eye chin, throat and chest, white, the 

 stripe back of the eye changing to orange-rufous on back of 

 head where the top of opposite sides unite. Sides and flanks 

 blackish, narrowly barred with white. (Fisher). 



Flight and Habits. 



Its fli.ght is light and easy. While hunting for food it often 

 hovers over certain spots after the manner of the Sparrow 

 Hawk, and when alighting it generally chooses the bare 

 ground to rest on. Some observers report the bird as being 

 very shy, while others state it is quite tame and unsuspicious. 

 (Fisher). 



Food. 



Probably like that of the Pigeon Hawk, consists largely of 

 small birds, insects and mammals, though little is known posi- 

 tively in reference to it. (Fisher). 



