56 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
birds, and in the third portions of a lizard and different parts of 
coleopterous insects.” 
Mr. T. Vanzeller has lately procured a specimen in the Transvaal, 
and Mr. Andersson gives the following note on the species in Damara 
Land :— , 
“ This exquisite little Faleon may be regarded as very rare in both 
Great Namaqua Land and Damara Land, especially im the latter, 
where I have only seen it once or twice ; altogether I have probably 
not come across above cight individuals, three-fourths of which I 
have secured. 
“tis always met with in pairs and usually perches on bushes or on 
the lower and middle branches of small trees, though J have seen it 
on the topmost boughs of lofty trees. I never saw it soar like other 
Falcons; it is not shy, and when disturbed it never moves further 
than to the next conspicuous tree or bush. It feeds on small birds, 
mice, lizards, and coleopterous insects, the latter being, I apprehend, 
its chief food.” 
Adult male.—Above blueish-grey, the head darker, the hind neck 
and upper tail coverts pure white ; quills and tail brown, spotted on 
the outer and barred on the inner web with white, the secondaries 
and tail-feathers also tipped with white ; forehead, sides of face and 
underparts white ; under-wing coverts white with indistinct brown 
cross-bars on some of the lower ones; bill yellow, horn-coloured at 
tip; cere, orbits and feet yellow, claws horn brown. Total length 
7°5 inches; culmen, 0°45; wing, 4°6; tail, 3:2 ; tarsus, 1-2. (Sharpe, 
Cat. B. i., p. 370.) 
Adult female.—Differs from the male in having the interscapulary 
regions and scapulars deep vinous chesnut. ‘Total length, 7.5 
inches; culmen, 0°5; wing, 4°8; tail, 3°0; tarsus, 1°15. 
The immature male resembles the female. 
Fig. Smith, Il. Zool. 8. Afr. Aves, pl. 1, (male). Scelater, Ibis, 
1861, pl. xii. (female). 
49. Faco communis. Peregrine Falcon. 
Falco peregrinus, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 19 (1867). 
Mr. Sclater quotes a single specimen as having been received from 
Natal ; we have not seen it from within the limits of the Cape Colony, 
where the next species seems to take its place. Mr. Garney tells us, 
however, that the Norwich Museum possesses a specimen from 
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