138 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



birds, but this is probably exceptional. The usual complement of 

 eggs appears to be three or four, and the variation in their size, 

 colour, and marking is often considerable. They are, however, gener- 

 ally pale reddish, or yellowish-red, covered all over with darker red 

 spots and blotches, and measure on an average 48 x 40 mm. 



I have never obtained or heard of the Saker Falcon having been 

 met with in Tunisia, but it may occur there occasionally, as a 

 straggler, for examples of it are not unfrequently obtained in Italyi 

 and specimens are to be found in most museums of any importance 

 in that country. 



Loche includes the species among the birds of Algeria, but the 

 specimen on which he bases this inclusion appears to be that of an 

 innnature individual of F. feldeggi. An example, indeed, labelled as 

 F. saker, obtained by Loche in Algeria, which is preserved in the 

 Milan Museum, under the No. 17,816, is precisely a young specimen 

 of F. feldeggi. This example is probably the very one referred to 

 by Loche. His plate (Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i), which is that of an 

 undoubted specimen of the Saker, appears to have been drawn from 

 an example in the Paris Museum, obtained from the Vienna Museum. 



The Saker is said to have been obtained in Western Marocco, a 

 living specimen having been imported by Mr. Castang from Mogador. 

 This specimen subsequently passed into the possession of the late 

 Lord Lilford. 



FALCO ELEONORiE, Gene. 

 BLEONOEAN FALCON. 



Faico eleonorse, Gene, Eev. Zool. 1839, p. 105 ; Sliarpe, Cat. Birds 

 Brit. Mus. i, p. 404; Malherbc, Fautie Orn. de I'AIg. p. 7 (1855); 

 Whitaker, Ibis, 1898, p. 126 ; Erlanger, J. /. 0. 1898, p. 466. 



Hypotriorchis eleonorae, Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, p. 60 (1867). 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from North Tunisia. 



Above sooty bluish-black, rather darker on the quills, and lighter on the 

 tail, which is slightly barred on the inner webs ; moustachial stripe bluish- 

 black ; chin and throat buff, finely striated with blackish ; rest of the under- 

 parts dull rufous, clouded and striped with blackish ; flanks rather more 

 rufous, and finely striated with black. 



