106 
white, with a black subterminal band, broadest on the median, 
and narrowest on the external feathers; the rest of the tail 
nearly concolorous with the rump, but slightly darker. Chin 
and throat white faintly tinged with rufous. Lower tail coverts 
nearly pure white, rest of lower parts of body a delicate vinace- 
ous red, the feathers with small brownish black spots and central 
streaks, smallest on the breast, most conspicuous on the sides 
and fianks. The beak, pale plumbeous, darker at the tips, and 
the claws, apparently ye//ow. From the ticket on the specimen, 
it appears that the wings, when closed, reached quite to the end 
of the tail and that cere, orbits, legs and feet were bright yellow. 
No. 19. Erythropus Vespertinus, Liv. 
Tuer Inerian Fatcon, Latu. 
Of the nidification of this bird in India, which in most parts 
of the country is rare, or at any rate owing to its crepuscular 
habits, difficult to procure, (so much so, that I have never yet 
seen a specimen) nothing is known; nay, up to this time it is 
uncertain whether the bird that occurs in India, and has hitherto 
generally been referred to this species, really belongs to it, or to 
a nearly allied form L. Amurensis, of which more anon. 
In regard to the true Vespertinus, Mr. Yarrell tell us, that 
“MM. Viellot in the Paune Francaise, says, that it builds in the 
hollows of trees, or takes to the nest of the Magpie, sometimes 
in companies like Rooks, and that it flies and hawks for its prey 
only in the evening.” 
Mr. Hewitson, on Mr. Cochrane’s authority, states, that in 
Hungary, this species “ arrives about the middle of April and 
have laid their eggs early in May. They make no nest for 
themselves, but after a fight with the lawful owners, take pos- 
session of those of the Crow, Rook, or Magpie, altering or repair- 
ing them, according to their own taste. The eggs are sometimes 
six in number, but most commonly four or five; at times as 
many as six or seven pairs breed in a single tree. “The eggs,” 
Mr. Hewitson remarks, “most nearly resemble those of the 
Kestrel, being, however, for the most part considerably less ; like 
the eggs of that bird, they are sometimes finely freckled 
throughout,” and sometimes with more or less conspicuous 
blotches and spots of a darker hue. ‘They are of course of the 
regular Falcon type, and so far as variation of colour goes, my 
description of the eggs of F. Jugger (q. v.) will, I faney, apply 
more or less to those of the present and other kindred species ; 
