FALCO VE3PERTINUS 145 



neck lif!ht buff; region round the eyes blackish: rest of underparts pale 

 rufous, sparsely spotted with dark brown. 



Soft parts rather duller in colouring than the male. Measurements 

 almost the same. 



The Eed-footed Falcon is not uncommon in Tunisia during the 

 spring migration, arriving in flocks towards the end of April, or 

 beginning of May, and departing again northwards after a short 

 stay. Numerically the passage of these birds varies greatly, bein^ 

 particularly plentiful in some years and comparatively insignificant 

 in others. Blanc says the species is to be met with occasionally in 

 the Eegency in winter time, but its occurrence at that season is 

 probably exceptional. 



According to Loche (Expl. Scient. Alg. Ois. i, p. 70), it breeds in 

 some parts of Algeria, but this also may probably be considered as 

 exceptional, for the bird's true breeding home is further north and 

 east. In Hungary and Eussia the species nests in considerable 

 numbers. 



In Marocco the Eed-footed Falcon seems to be more or less rare, 

 as it is also in Spain and generally throughout Western Europe. 

 Further east it becomes commoner, and in many parts of Italy, 

 particularly where open tracts of low-lying country and marshy plains 

 abound, the species is numerous during the spring, though apparently 

 it does not breed there. In Sicily this Hawk may some years be 

 seen in considerable numbers towards the end of April and beginning 

 of May. I have myself, when shooting in the Eoyal Park of "La 

 Favorita," near Palermo, frequently seen numbers of these birds 

 among the olive-plantations and orange-groves, where an abundance 

 of insects probably formed the attraction. My old friend Doderlein, 

 who also had permission to shoot in " La Favorita," often secured 

 several specimens of these birds at one shot, as they perched closely 

 together on some isolated tree (Avif. Mod. Sic. p. 322). The return 

 passage of the species in autumn, like that of many other birds, is far 

 less conspicuous in point of numbers than the spring one. 



The Eed-footed Falcon is eminently gregarious, and is seldom 

 seen singly, or otherwise than in the company of its fellows, while 

 occasionally it may also be found consorting with other species of 

 Falconidce. 



When roosting at night, the birds collect together on some tree, 



10 VOL. II. 



