FALCO. 



G9 



extreme points joining in front of the eyes, the moustachial stripes, 

 "which extend along the sides of the neck. The occiput and nape are 

 covered by a rufous half collar marked with three black spots, of 

 which the centre one forms a band on the nape. The back and wings 

 are a light bluishgrey, with large spots and irregular bars of bluish black. 



The tail which is a lighter grey than the back, is barred transversely 

 with black bands, very narrow towards the bases of the feathers, but 

 widening gradually towards their ends, the tips of which are white. 

 The chest is pure isabelline. The flanks, vent and abdomen of the 

 same colour, but the feathers bear very narrow longitudinal striae and 

 little triangular black spots. The base of the beak is yellow, but the 

 point blue. The cere and feet beautiful yellow, and the orbital skin 

 orange. [Tern. Ex. S. F. M9). 



Length. — Female 15"5 inches, expanse 36"4, wing 11*4, tail 6*4, tarsus 

 1"8. Male 14 inches, wing 10*8, tail 5, tarsus 1*6. 



Hah. — Sind (winter visitant), Persia, Kutch, and the Central Pro- 

 vinces. Sharpe {Cat. Ace), gives its range as N. and N.E. Africa as 

 well as Senegambia on the West Coast, ranging into N.W. India and 

 the Himalayas. 



Falco subbuteo, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 127; Gould, B. Eur. i, 

 pi. 22 ; Blyth, Ibis, J 863, p. 9. ; Hypotriorchis subbuteo. Bole, Isis, 

 1826, p. 976; Gray, Gen. B. i, p. 20 ; Jercl. B. Lnd. i, p. 33, No. 13 ; 

 Hume, Rough Notes, i, p. 85, Stray F. ix. 282. — The Hobby. 



Adult Male. — Top of head, back, scapulars and wing-coverts bluish 

 black, the latter sometimes tinged with rusty; lower back and rump clear 

 slaty grey. Forehead and eyebrow, whitish ; nape tinged with rufous, 

 forming two indistinct rufous spots. Lores, cheek stripe, feathers below 

 the eye and ear-coverts black. Throat and sides of the neck, creamy 

 white, tinged with rufous, the breast and abdomen the same, streaked 

 mesially with dark brown, narrow on the centre of the abdomen, and 

 wider on the flanks ; vent, under tail-cpvei'ts and thigh-coverts rich 

 ferruginous. Under wing-coverts buffy white with some transverse dark 

 bars. Qmlls blackish, barred internally with rufous. Tail dark slaty or slaty 

 grey, barred on their inner webs with rufous, and tipped with whitish. 



Length. — 11 to 11*5 inches, wing 9*5 to 9*6, tail 5*5, tarsus 

 1"25. Females are larger ; length 13*5, wing 10*6, tail 6'5, tarsus 1-4. 



The young bird is dark or grey brown above, the feathers edged 

 with fulvous. Cheek stripe darker. Forehead and superciliary fulvous 

 white; sides of the neck, nape, throat, and under surface creamy buff; 

 lower abdomen and thigh-coverts with a rufous tinge, and streaked 

 mesially with brown. These streaks are rather broad and distinct on 

 the breast, and long and narrow on the under tail-coverts. Wings and 

 tail as in the adult ; black, and banded with rufous. 



Hab. — The Avhole of Europe and Northern Asia, extending to India 

 and North China, and migrating in winter to South Africa (Sharpe). 

 In India it has been found in Nopaul and Darjeeling, and Jerdon killed 

 one at Jauluah. In Sind it was obtained by Mr. S. Doig at Hydrabad 

 in the month of June. 



