17 



19. LITHOFALCO. GMEL. 

 ^ESALON. MONTAGU 



' t MERLIN. 



F. Cera lutea, corpore supra cinereo, snbtus rufo 

 maculis longitadinalibus fuscis, cauda cinerea, 

 versus apicem nigricante, apice alba. Gmel. 



The bill is blue; the cere and legs yellow ; the irides 

 are dark; the head is rust colour, streaked with black; 

 plumage, above, ash colour, with ferruginous spots; 

 beneath, 3 r ellowish white, with brown spots; the tail 

 is long, and barred with brown and dusky. 



The merlin is the least of our hawks, it differs from the 

 rest of the falcons, in the peculiarity of the male and fe- 

 male heir.g of the same size. It appears in October, about 

 the period the hobby leaves us. It flies low, and with great 

 swiftness. Food, small birds. 



In the countries where it breeds, the female lays 5 or 6 

 plain chocolate coloured eggs. 



20. CINERAREUS. MONT.) 

 HYEMALIS. LATHAM. 



F. Fusco-ferrugineus, subtus albus fusco maculatus, 

 cauda ferrugineo nigroque fasciata . Shaw. 



The bill is black the base and cere greenish ; the 

 irides are bright yellow, as are the orbits. The crown 

 of the head, cheeks, throat, back, and scapulars are 

 cinereous brown ; the under parts of the body, tail, 



