FALCONID^ — THE FALCONS. 163 



the jugulum ; throat grayish-white. Inner webs of primaries slaty, 

 with transverse cloudings of darker. 9 • Differing from that of the 

 above species in dark rufous lower parts and dusky, mottled inner 

 webs of primaries. Second and third quills longest; first shorter than 

 or equal to fourth. Hab. Cuba (only ?). 



The distinguishing characters of F. sparverius having been given in the 

 foregoing synopsis, I will here consider this species in regard to the modifica- 

 tions it experiences in the different regions of its geographical distribution. 



The whole of continental America, from the Arctic regions to almost the 

 extreme of South America, and from ocean to ocean, is inhabited, so far as 

 known, by but this one species of Tinnunculus. But in different portions 

 of this vast extent of territory the species experiences modifications under 

 the influence of certain climatic and other local conditions, which are here 

 characterized as geograpliical races ; these, let me say, present their distinc- 

 tive characteristics with great uniformity and constancy, although the dif- 

 ferences from the typical or restricted sparverius are not very great. The 

 F. sparverius as restricted, or wdiat is more properly termed var. sparverius, 

 inhabits the whole of North and IVIiddle America (both coasts included, 



dering it nearly to the base ; the lateral feather has both webs continuous deep chestnut, the 

 tip slate, the subterminal spot and shaft black. Chin and throat dull ashy-white ; rest of lower 

 parts continuous deep chestnut-rufous, this palest on the anal region, and tinged with slate 

 across the jugulum as well as on the flanks, where there are a very few darker spots. (The chest- 

 nut beneath is unspotted.) Inner webs of primaries mottled along the edge with paler slate, this 

 running in points toward the shafts, giving an idea of bars. Wing-formula, 2, 3-4, 1. Wing, 

 7.00 ; tail, 4.45 ; tarsus, 1.31 ; middle toe, .90 ; culmen, .50. 



(J (29,579, Cuba, April 25 ; Charles Wright). Head above, dark plumbeous ; feathers with 

 darker shaft-lines ; black stripes of head more sharply defined than in the male. Above, con- 

 tinuously deep rufous (brighter and more ferruginous than in the different stjdes of sjxirverius), 

 continuously barred, as in var. sparverius, but blacker, the bars on upper part of back with 

 tendency to longitudinal direction. Tail with twelve narrow, sharply defined bars of black ; 

 but the ground-color continuous rufous to the ti[), the lateral feather as deeply rufous as the 

 middle. Inner webs of j^rimaries deep rusty-rufous, with twelve very narrow transverse bars 

 of dusky crossing to the edge. The middle area of the ear-coverts, with the chin and throat, is 

 dull white ; the rest of the lower parts (including side of the neck) and whole lining of the 

 wing are deep rusty-rufous, paler on the crissum, nearly white on the anal region ; these regions 

 have no spots, except on the flanks, where are a few narrow transverse bars. Wing-formula, 2, 

 3-4, 1. Wing, 7.00 ; tail, 4.45 ; tarsus, 1.30; middle toe, .90 ; culmen, .51. 



Juv. $ (39,108, Kemedios, Cuba, December 11, 1863; N. H. Bishop). General ap])earance 

 of the adult ; but back, scapulars, rump, and upper tail-coverts chestnut-rufous, uniform with 

 the tail ; these parts are, however, strongly clouded with more bluish slate, and the blackish spots 

 are more distinct. The black zone of the tail runs more sharply across, and is narrower than in 

 the adult. The middle area of the ear-coverts is nearly as light as the throat. The rufous 

 beneath is less castaneous, as well as less continuous, becoming nearl_y white on abdomen and 

 tibia; the slaty tinge on the jugulum is wanting. Wing-formula, 3, 2-4,-1. Wing, 6.85; 

 tail, 4.90 ; tarsus, 1.20 ; middle toe, .90 ; culmen, .50. 



9 (23,546, Monte Verde, Cuba, July 16, 1861 ; Charles Wright). Difl'ering from the adult in 

 the same respects as does that of sparverius, the chief difl'erences consisting in the deeper chest- 

 nut of the tail, and broader and blacker bais above. Rufous beneath, with numerous sagittate 

 spots of black ; lower tail-coverts with subterminal bars, and lining of the wing with sparse 

 streaks of the same. Plumage generally with a blended appearance. Wing-fonnula, 2, 3-4 = 1. 



