222 



under tail-coverts yellowish white ; ? more 

 like that of C. t. iinnunculus, but smaller 

 and distinguished by its white claws. 



321a. Cerchneis naumanni pekinensis (Swinh.), N. China ; 



P.Z.S., 1870, p. 442. [Near Pekin, type in in winter to 



Brit. Mus.] Himalayas. 

 Chinese Lesser Kestrel. 



Size similar ; wing (^ 242 mm. ; darker 

 above and below, and without spots below 

 when adult, or \Aith minute spots on sides 

 when less mature ; wing coverts almost 

 entirely blue-grey, only innermost ones 

 slightly washed with rufous. 



321b. Cerchneis naumanni turkestanicus Zarudny, Turkestan ; 



Mess. Orn., 1912, p. 114. [Russian Tiir- S. in winter to 



kestan.] Somaliland.^ 

 Turkestan Lesser Kestrel. 



Slightly smaller ; wing (J 228 mm. ; above 

 with red of mantle much paler ; below 

 paler fawn colour and uniform without 

 spots, except a few on sides in less mature 

 birds ; wing coverts with more blue than in 

 European birds, but not equal to pekiiieiisis. 



1*322. Cerchneis sparverius sparverius (Linn.) ,S.1s . , 

 i., p. 90 (1758). ["America," ex. Catesby = 

 Carolina.] 

 American Kestrel. 



United States, 

 E. of Rocky 

 Mtns. ; 



S. in winter to 

 Florida and 

 Gulf States. 



1 I have described this form from a presumed typical ^ from Samarkand, 

 May ist, 1908, alt. 2,000 ft., D. Carruthers coll., in the Brit. Mus. coll. An example 

 in the Brit. Mus. coll. from Somaliland, very pale and unspotted below, is as pale 

 above as the Samarkand bird and is evidently referable to this form, the line of 

 migration to N.E. Africa being a quite natural one. Examples from Central and 

 S.E. Africa are, however, C. n. naumanni. I do not beUeve that true pekinensis 

 occurs in Africa. Palestine birds I regard as intermediate between the Turkestan 

 and typical races. 



