260 AVES: RAPTOUES. — XLI. 



426. FALCO Linnaeus. FALtoxs. (Lat., falcon.) 

 a. First jjrimarv i>nly I'lnarginatc on inner wu-b ; tarsal plates siiiall ; sexes 

 culored alike. 

 6. Tarsus loiij^er than middle toe and claw. 



c. Tarsus feathered iu front more than half way down. {Ilirrofulco 

 tluvier.) 



820. F. rusticolus (L.). GitAY Gyufalcon. Bluish gray 

 above with dark l)aii(ls; lower tail toverts always with ashy ; young 

 ]i!ain above, streaky below. L. 24. W. 16. T. 10. Northern 

 regions ; var. obsoletus, S. to U. S. in winter. This form is darker, 

 the lower parts chieily dusky. {Eu.) (Lat. rural.) 



cc. Tarsus not feathered half way down in front. {Gtnnuia Kaup.) 



8-21. F. mexicanus Schlcgel. Prairie Falcon. Grayish 

 brown, more or loss barred an<l streaked. L. 18. W. 14. T. 8. 

 8. W., K. to 111., allied to the Lanier of Europe. 



bb. Tarsus not longer than middle toe, scareely feathered below heel joint. 

 (Rhunchodon Nitsch.) 



822. F. peregrinus Tunstall. Peueckinf, Falcon. DrcK 

 Hawk. Blackish ash with paler waves; top of head blaek ; below 

 •whitish ; blaek cheek patches. L. 16. W. 13. T. 7. Northern 

 regions, not very common; the American bird, var. anatum Bona- 

 parte, has the breast uustreaked. {Eu.) 



aa. Two primaries emarginate; tarsal plates enlarged in front, appearing 

 like scutella. 

 d. Tarsus about equal to midille toe ; basal joints of toes with small hex- 

 agonal siaks. (.KahIoii Kaup.) 



823. F. columbarius I^. Tigkon Hawk. Amkrican Mkr- 

 LIN. Ashy blue or brownish above with darker streaks ; lower 

 parts whitisli or buffy, streaked with brown ; middle tail featliers 

 in (J with about 4 black bands ; in 9 with about 6 pale bands. 

 L. 13. W. 8. T. 6. U. S. (Lat., pertaining to a pigeon.) 



dd. Tarsus longer than middle toe ; basal joints of toes with transverse 

 scutella. (Tinnunculus Vieillot.) 



821. F. sparveriuB L. Sparrow Hawk. Risty Crowned 

 Falcon. Back tawny; wings bhiisli and Jilaek in ^ ; seven black 

 blotches about heail ; tail chestnut, with a broad black band in 

 ^, and a narrow terminal one of white ; below wliite or tawny. 

 9 diiTercnt, more streaky, the tail tawny with numerous narrow 

 darker bars; back and wing coverts rusty barred witli black. One. 

 of the most active and courageous of the hawks; a genuine falcon, 

 not\vitlistandin<x its small size. L. 11. W. 7. T. 3. U. S., 

 abundant. (Lat., relating to a sparrow.) 



