of the United States. 27 



§ 2. Bill curved from the base. 



u'iccipiter Briss. Falco, Brehm. 



* Bill with a sharp tooth each side. 



SUBGENUS IV. FALCO. 



Falco, Bechstein. Falco, Hierofalco, Cuv. 



Faucons proprement dits, Temm. Falco, Tinnunculus, Vieill. 



Bill short, curved from the base ; lateral tooth closing into 

 an emargination of the lower mandible ; cere very short, 

 naked : nostrils rounded, with a central tubercle. Feet strong; 

 tarsi moderate; toes strong, elongated, the anterior connected 

 at base by a membrane ; nails long, sharp, incurved. Wings 

 elongated ; first and third primaries equal, second longest ; 

 first and second with an abrupt emargination on the inner 

 web near the extremity. 



Female about a third larger, differing in colour from the 

 adult male. 



Bold : feed chiefly on small birds ; seize their prey on the 

 wing : flight vigorous : readily tamed, hence called noble ! 



f Wings reaching to the tip of the tail : tarsi reticulated. 



9. Falco peregrinus, Gm. Blackish ; beneath white, spotted 

 with blackish ; cheeks with a dilated black spot ; middle toe 

 as long as the tarsus ; inner web of the first primary only, 

 abruptly narrowed at tip. 



Great-footed Hawk, Falco peregrinus, Wils. Jim. Orn. ix. 

 p. 120. pi- 76. 



Inhabits the northern portion of both continents; but more 

 common in Europe. 

 •j-j- Wings not reaching to the tip of the tail : tarsi scutellated. 



10. Falco sparverius, L. Rufous, beneath paler, spotted 

 with black ; seven black spots around the head. 



Male : upper part of the head, crown excepted, and wing- 

 coverts slate-blue ; tail with a single subterminal band. 



Female and Young more fasciated and spotted ; wing- 

 coverts rufous ; tail fasciated. 



