226 Mr. W. E. Brooks on Richardson's Merlin. 



XVIII. — Retnarks on Richardson's Merlin (Falco richardsoni^ -j 

 Ridgway). By W. E. Brooks. 



(Plate V.) 



In the first volume of the British Museum Catalogue of 

 Birds (p. 409), published in 1874, Dr. Sharpe stated that he 

 was unacquainted with this species, and appended a short 

 extract from the Proc. Phil. Acad. 1870, p. 147, in which 

 Mr. Ridgway described, as a male, an earthy-brown coloured 

 bird. This description must refer to the immature male, 

 for the adult male is of a beautiful blue-grey above, and 

 somewhat resembles the European Merlin, but is generally 

 lighter toned, and, I think, more handsome. 



I have now before me three fine examples of Falco richard- 

 soni, and will make a few remarks on them. 



In this species the outer webs of the primaries are spotted 

 with white in the adult male, and with ochraceous in the 

 immature male and female. In the female and young male 

 the feathers of the upper surface have pale rusty edges, 

 so that on examining the bird closely it is not uniform 

 brown, as it appears to be at some little distance. The 

 female sent has also the brown of the upper surface 

 strongly tinged with ash-grey, most conspicuous on the 

 shoulders and rump. The number of light-coloured bars 

 on the tail is variable. One which I examined — sexed as 

 female, but which, on account of having only a 7"85 in. wing, 

 I concluded was a male in first plumage — had six light cross- 

 bars and. a light tip ; but the uppermost bar was rather 

 indistinct nearly at the root of the feather, quite hidden, of 

 course, by the tail-coverts. The male appears to have five I 

 light tail-bars and a light tip. In the mature male these ' 

 cross-bars are of a beautiful bluish grey ; while in young 

 males and females they are slightly ochraceous white. 



Description of specimens from Larimer County, Colorado 

 (female shot Feb. 24th; the male, Dec. 15th) : — 



Wing of male 7'6 inches, of female 8'8. . (J , tail from 



