418 



upper tail-coverts ; primaries dark brown, closely banded with pale 

 rufous on the inner webs except near the tips ; secondaries ashy 

 grey with dark cross-bands : tail with alternating bars of ashy 

 grey and blackish grey, the former broader near the root, the 

 latter near the end, tip whitish ; chin and throat white or rufes- 

 cent, rest of lower parts pale rufous, depth of tint varying ; the 

 breast in some with a few narrow dark shaft-lines, and the 

 abdomen with small spots; the flanks and under wing-coverts 

 with dark bars, but in old birds all markings on the breast and 

 abdomen disappear, and only arrowhead-shaped marks remain on 

 the flanks. 



Young birds are dark brown above, the feathers with broad 

 rufous edges which wear off after a time ; scapulars with rufous 

 spots ; upper tail-coverts barred with rufous ; forehead, middle of 

 crown, and sometimes superciliary streaks, with the nuchal collar, 

 buff or rufous, the collar mixed with brown ; quills brown, barred 

 as in adults ; tail brown, with equal rufous bars at regular in- 

 tervals ; lower parts more or less rufous, pale and whitish on the 

 throat, marked with elongate spots on the breast and abdomen, 

 and broader spots on the flanks. 



Bill bluish, black at the tip ; cere, legs, and feet yellow ; irides 

 dark brown. 



Length of females about 17 inches ; tail 6*5 ; wing 12*5 ; tar- 

 sus 1*9 ; mid- toe without claw 2 ; bill from gape 1*1 : length of 

 males 15 ; tail 5'75 ; wing 11. 



Distribution. Northern and North-eastern Africa, South-western 

 and Central Asia, ranging as a winter visitor into North-western 

 India as far south as the Nerbudda and as far east as Oude. A 

 single specimen was obtained near Eaipur, O.P., by Mr. Thompson. 

 The locality Nepal in the British Museum Catalogue is due, as in 

 many other cases, to all specimens presented by Mr. Hodgson 

 having been thus labelled. The birds were probably trained 

 Falcons, brought to Nepal tame. 



There is no difference whatever in plumage between F. barbarus 

 and F. babylonicus, as is clearly shown by the series in the British 

 Museum, but some (not all) Indian females are larger than the 

 few N. African specimens of the same sex hitherto measured. 

 Dr. Sharpe tells me he has already come to the same conclusion 

 as to the identity of these birds. 



Habits, $c. The Barbary Falcon ranks as one of the Peregrine 

 group and is, for its size, a powerful bird, killing partridges, &c., 

 with ease. According to Jerdon it has been trained to take 

 mallard and other birds. It is found in open dry country and 

 breeds in cliffs. The eggs resemble the Peregrine's, but are rather 

 smaller. None have been found in India, but this Falcon breeds 

 in the ranges west and north-west of the Punjab ; two young 

 birds were found in a nest in the G-umal Pass near Dera Ismail 

 Khan on May 13th by Lieut. Philott. 



