a 
CERCHNEIS VERPERTINUS. 65 
inclining to rufous fawn-colour, all the feathers mesially streaked 
with blackish, these stripes being broader on the flanks, and very 
tiny on the thighs, which are also paler rufous. Total length, 
12°5 inches ; culmen, 0°7; wing, 9°3; tail, 5-9; tarsus, 1:2. (Sharpe 
Cat. B. i. p. 436.) 
Young male.—Like the old female, but somewhat paler rufous. 
The blue tail is assumed by a moult, the blue head being, on the 
other hand, gained by a change of feather. Birds in intermediate 
stages are often thus seen. (id. ¢. c. p. 437.) 
Fig. Sharpe and Dresser, B. Eur. part 3. 
59. CERCHNEIS VERPERTINA. Red-footed Kestrel. 
Although it has not yet been found within the limits of the colony, 
this species nevertheless visits certain portions of South Africa, 
along with the other insect-eating Falcons. According to Mr. 
Andersson it “ usually arrives in Damara and Great Namaqua Land 
about the rainy season, and again retires northward on the approach 
of the dry season; they arrive in enormous flocks of many thousand 
individuals.” Mr, Andersson also killed the species in Ovampo 
Land, and Senor Anchieta obtained numerous specimens at Huilla, in 
1868. 
The following description is extracted from the ‘Catalogue of 
Birds,’ (I, p. 444). 
Adult male.—Above leaden grey, a little paler on the wing-coverts, 
the greater series of which are conspicuously silvery-grey ; primary- 
coverts and quills silvery-grey, the secondaries darker and approach- 
ing the colour of the back; tail brownish black; under surface 
blueish grey with faint indications of blackish shaft-stripes ; lower 
abdomen, vent, under tail-coverts and thighs rich chestnut; under 
wing-coverts leaden grey; inner lining of wing brownish black ; 
cere, orbits and feet bright brownish red; claws yellowish white, 
horn coloured at points; bill yellowish horn colour, blackish at tip ; 
iris light brown, (according to Andersson “dark brown”). Total 
length, 11°5 inches; culmen, 0°75; wing, 9°8; tail, 56; tarsus, 
115, 
Adult female.—Different from the male. Above blueish grey, 
with transverse black bars on all the feathers, the interscapulary 
region a little darker and more ashy; tail also blueish grey, with 
narrow black bars, the subterminal one much broader, the tip a little 
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