FALCO CAMDICANS. 



near the sea shoio. I do not, however, think that they occur much north of New Jersey 

 during winter. 



FALCO CAJ^TDICANS. 



Jer Falcon. 



Falco candicans Gm., Syst. Nat., I; 1788, 275. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Cn. Form, robust. Size, very large. Sternum, stout, with themarginalindentationsquite large. Tongue, long, 

 not very fleshy, and about the same width fornearly its entire length, then is rounded, slightly hifid, and grooved beneath. 

 Tarsus, feathered in front for more than half its length. Wings, with two outer quills incised. Coeca, present and com- 

 paratively well developed. Sese.s, similar in color. 



Light stage. 



Color. Adult. White throughout with regular and irregular confluent bands and spots of dark-brown above, and 

 Rjiai-sely spotted below with the same color. Primaries and tail, transversely banded with brownish and the former is tip- 

 ped with it. 



Young. Quite similar to the adult in general coloration but tinted with bluLsh above and below. The bandings are 

 also broader and the spots larger. 



Young of the year. Are overwashed with brown above, and every feather is spotted and edgei with reddish. The 

 under parts are tinged with yellowish-white and longitudinally streaked with dusky. 



Nestlings. Are at fir.st covered with white down, then gradually assume the plumage la.st described , which they keep 

 for a year. 



Dark stage. 



Color. Adult. Sooty black, throughout, becoming lighter below, but not conspicuously barred or spotted anywhere. 

 Bill and cere, pale blue, iris, dark-brown, feet, slaty-blue, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



This species is subject to various changes of plumage which are merely due to a predominance of the lighter or darker 

 tints. The different plumages have been described by authors under several names, either as species or races; thus the light 

 types are either candicans^ Islandkus, or sacer and tlie dark type-<.Labradora. To be consistent with my views already 

 published, however, I must consider them all one species. Readily known from all other species by the large size, prepon- 

 derance of white in the light stage and peculiar Falconine form, as well as uniform tints when dark. Distributed as a 

 constant resident, througliout North America, above latitude 50\ Rare in New England during winter. 



DBIENSIONS. 



Average mea.surements of male specimens from Ea.stern North America. Length, 2r75; stretch, 48'50; wing, 15'75; 

 tail, 9'7.'>; hill, TiO; tarsus, 1-95. Longest specimen, 2-2-50; greatest extent of wing, 49-00; longest wing, lH-00; tail, 



10 00, bill, 1-30: tarsus, 2-00. Shortest specimen, 2100; smallest extent of wing, 48-00; shortest wing, lo-50; tail, 9 50; 

 bill, 1-00; tarsus, 1-80. 



Average measurements of female specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 23-50; stretch, 50-00; wing, Ifi-.W; 

 tail. In 5); l)ill, r;iJ; tarsu-:, 2-05. Lmgest spscim^n, 21-09; greatest extent of wing, 51-00; longest wing, 17-00; tail, 



11 <K); bill, 1-40; t.irsus, 2-10. Shortest specimen, 23-00; smallest extent of wing, 49'OJ, shortest wing, 16-00; tail, 10-00; 

 hill, 1-10; tarsus, 1-95. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, i^laced on rocky cliffs. Although the eggs are occa.sionally placed on the naked rock, there is usually a rudely 

 coastructcd nest, composed of sticks, moss, and sea weeds. 



Eggs, two to four in number, rather oval or spherical in form, varying from creamy-white to yellow-brown in color, 

 profusely sprinkled witl^ reddish-hrown of varying shades, usually so thickly as to nearly, or even completely, obscure the 

 ground color. Dimensions from 1-71x212 to 190x2 45. 



HA GITS. 



The Jer Falcon are, to my taste, the handsomest of the onler. Perhaps, however, 

 this fancy of mine may be due to the fact that, as these birds are very rare in the sections 



