50 RAPTORES. FALCO. KESTREL. 



streaked and spotted with brownish black. Quills 

 brownish-black, margined with white ; the two first 

 having their inner webs deeply notched ; the second and 

 third with the outer webs strongly sinuated. The se- 

 cond quill rather longer than the third, which latter ex- 

 ceeds the first by more than half an inch. 

 The young male, for the first year, is very similar in plu- 

 mage to the female bird. 



PLATE 17*. An adult male of the natural size. 



Male Bird. Bill bluish-grey at the base, with the tip black, strong, 

 the sides convex, the tooth prominent, and the poste- 

 rior undulation of the cutting edge well marked. Cere 

 and naked space round the eyes lemon-yellow. Irides 

 brown. Forehead yellowish- white. Crown of the 

 head, nape of the neck, and part of the shoulders, 

 light clove-brown, with the shafts of the feathers black- 

 ish-grey. Back and wing coverts reddish-orange, each 

 feather having an arrow-shaped black spot near its tip. 

 Rump bluish-grey ; tail the same, with a broad black 

 bar near the tip, which is white. From the corners of 

 the mouth is a dark greyish-black streak, running be- 

 neath the eye, and pointing downwards. Throat and 

 chin yellowish-white. Breast, belly, and thighs pale 

 buff-orange, inclining to light reddish orange, with 

 brownish-black spots. Quills black, with the margins 

 and tips greyish-white, and the inner webs barred with 

 reddish-white. Legs and feet saffron-yellow. Claws 

 black. 



