FALCONID< FALCO 269 



Distribution. The South African Peregrine differs from the 

 European bird in its slightly smaller size ; also it does not seem 

 to possess at any stage the rufous patch on the nape found in the 

 more northern bird. 



It is by no means common in South Africa though widely dis- 

 tributed. Beyond our limits it is found in Madagascar, Nyasaland, 

 Angola, and Abyssinia, though there seems to be some little doubt 

 as to whether the bird from north-east Africa should not be 

 identified with the true Peregrine of Europe. 



The following are South African localities where this bird appears 

 to be found chiefly if not exclusively in the summer months. Cape 

 Colony Cape div. January (Victorin, Smith, and Layard), Stellen- 

 bosch, January, and Malmesbury, March (S. A. Mus.), Swellendam 

 (Atmore), Knysna, April (Victorin), Albany (Atherstone and 

 Grahamstown Museum), Uitenhage (Smith), East London in 

 summer (Wood), Port St. John's, Oct. (Shortridge) ; Natal Near 

 Durban (Durban Mus.) ; Ehodesia Pandamatenka (Holub) ; 

 German south-west Africa near Otjimbinque andOndonga, January 

 (Andersson). 



Habits. But little has been written about the habits of this 

 Falcon, probably in this respect it does not differ from the more 

 familiar Peregrine of Europe. 



In regard to the breeding habits, however, it diverges, as it is 

 stated by Mr. Kotze of Berg river to build in trees instead of laying 

 its eggs on a ledge of a cliff or in an old crows' nest. The eggs as 

 described by Layard are three in number, usually more or less 

 spotted and stained with dry blood- colour on a dirty cream- 

 coloured ground and varying very much in markings ; they measure 

 1-75 x 1-3. 



504. Falco biarmicus. South African Lanner. 



Falco biarmicus, Temm. PL Col. i, pi. 324 (1825) ; Gurney, Ibis, 1860, 

 p. 207, 1862, p. 154 [Natal] ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 20 (1867) ; Sharpe, 

 ( 'at. B. M. i, p. 391 (1874) ; id. ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 58, 800, 

 pi. ii (1875-84); Buckley, Ibis, 1874, p. 360; Ay res, Ibis, 1877, p. 

 341 [Lydenburg] ; Gates, Matabeleland, p. 299 (1881) [Newcastle] ; 

 Holub fr Pdzcln, Orn. Siid-Afr. p. 28 (1882); Butler, Feilden, 

 and Reid, Zool 1882, p. 170 [Newcastle] ; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 239 

 [Mashonaland] ; Gurney, Ibis, 1882, p. 442 ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 145 

 (1896); Sowerby, Ibis, 1898, p. 574 [Chiquaqua] ; Woodward Bros. 

 Natal Birds, p. 151 (1899) ; Marshall, Ibis, 1900, p. 270 [Mashona- 

 land] ; Reich-enow, Vog. Afr. i, p. 624 (1901). 



