34 RAPTORES. FALCO. 



toes long and slender, particularly the middle toe, colour 

 gamboge, inclining to primrose-yellow. Claws black, 

 hooked, and strong ; those of the inner and hind toes 

 being of equal size, and longer than the others. 



Male bird. PLATE 13 *. A male bird, also represented in the natural 

 size, and shewing the singularly great difference in di- 

 mensions between the sexes. 



Colour of the upper parts of the body (being an imma- 

 ture bird) clove-brown, the feathers edged with light 

 reddish-brown. Under parts tinged with reddish-brown, 

 and many of the undulating bars or transverse lines of 

 the same hue. 



The upper parts of the adult male are of a fine bluish- 

 grey colour. 



SUBFAMILY FALCONINA. 



Bill thick, strong, short, bending suddenly from its base, 

 and toothed. Wings long; the second quill-feather the 

 longest in the wing. Tarsi short, strong, and reticulated. 

 Toes armed with hooked and very sharp talons. The larger 

 species are very courageous, and strong upon the wing, 

 preying entirely on living birds and animals. Some of the 

 smaller species are partly insectivorous. 



GENUS FALCO, LINN. FALCON. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill short, very strong, curved from the base ; the upper 

 mandible armed on each side, near its point, with an acute 

 tooth, which fits into a corresponding notch in the lower one, 

 the tip of which is truncated. Cere very short. Nostrils. 



