36 RAPTORIAL BIRDS 
of the Indian Ocean, and even to the coast of China; 
and it has also been met with on the coast of Patagonia. 
The southern portions of the African Continent, as 
well as the Island of Madagascar, and those of the 
Comoro group, possess another Falcon which, m the 
character of its markings, resembles Falco melanogenys, 
but which, from its smaller size, has obtained the 
name of falco minor. ‘These five Falcons, peregrinator, 
atriceps, peregrinus, melanogenys, and minor, may be 
considered as forming the first group of species in the 
genus falco, the second group being composed of two 
species, holding a position intermediate between the 
Peregrine and its nearest congeners on the one hand, 
and the Lanner and its immediate allies (to which we 
shall subsequently refer) on the other. 
The two species forming this second gronp are the 
Barbary Falcon (Falco tunetanus), one of the smallest 
species of the genus, which, as its name imports, is 
a native of Northern Africa, as well as of Southern 
Europe, and South-western Asia, and the Babylonian 
Falcon, so-called because the first specimen brought 
to this country was obtained near the site of the 
ancient Babylon. This species, which is somewhat 
larger than the Barbary Falcon, was first figured and 
described in the “Ibis” for 1861, from a specimen 
obtained in Oude by Major Irby, and presented by 
that gentleman to the Norwich Museum. 
The Babylonian Falcon is called by the falconers 
of Northern India the Red-headed Shaheen, and is 
