108 RUFOUS-NECKED FALCON. 



The size of our bird exactly corresponds to that 

 of the little American Falco sparverim^ which it 

 rivals in beauty of colouring. Commencing just 

 above the eye (for the front is nearly white), 

 the upper part of the head and neck is of a rich 

 rufous ; the feathers of the crown having a narrow 

 black stripe down the middle of each ; this rufous 

 colour is separated from the ears by a narrow stripe 

 of black, which takes a curve almost round the ear 

 feathers, and nearly meets another black stripe, 

 tinged with rufous, which commences at the an- 

 terior corner of the eye, and then passes under it, 

 like a moustache : round these stripes, and on the 

 sides of the neck and breast, there is a delicate 

 shade of rufous, which blends into the creamy white 

 of the throat and breast. The whole of the remain- 

 ing upper plumage is of a full dark cinereous, banded 

 throughout with distinct blackish bands nearly as 

 broad as the spaces are between them. The tail 

 has the same ground colour, with about nine narrow 

 blackish bars and a very broad one, which is the 

 last ; the extreme margins of the feathers having a 

 narrow edging of white. The whole of the under 

 plumage, from the breast to the tail-covers, is banded 

 like the back, but upon a whitish ground. The 

 cere and feet are bright yellow ; the bill, as usual, 

 blueish, and the claws black. Tail rounded, one 

 inch longer than the wings. Total length, 10 

 inches ; wings, 7| ; tarsus, to the sole of the foot, 

 1 ; middle toe below, 1 T 6 S ; tail, 5^. 



