o^; VEliTEBUATA. 



with tilt' samo nttrntions from this marauder, whose daily excursions are entirely regulated by 

 the movi'iiuiit.s ot' the llocks on whose wnt'orf unatc meinl>ers it fattens. The bird which Audu- 

 Inm oallfd the Little Corporal, in lioiior of Napoleon, was an old male of this species. 



The Mkklin — Emcrillon of the French — F. jEsalon, is a small species of liawk, nine or ten 

 inches long, of an ashv-bhie above, below white striped with brown. It builds on lofty trees, and lays 

 five or six e<xs^ This bird, on account of its docility, was formerly used for hawking at larks, quails, 

 partritigcs, and pigeons, its skill and courage in jiursuing them excited great admiration among 

 the sportsmen. It inhabits the south of Europe in winter and the north in summer. (Sec page 22.) 



The Kkstkkl, called Windhover in England — the Crecerclle of the French ; F. tinnunculus of 

 liiniKous — is about a foot in length; its color is a reddish-brown above, marked with angular 

 black spots; beneath it is reddish, with longitudinal rays on the breast. It is widely spread over 

 Europe, and was formerly used in falconry. It lives on mice, lizards, insects, and small birds. It 

 makes its nest in the trees of forests, and also sometimes in old towers and walls. It lays five or 

 six e<T"^, and is an abundant breeder. (See page 23.) 





THE LESSEE KESTREL. 



The Lesser Kestrel — the Crecerine of the French — F. cenchris, is eleven and a half inches long, 

 and resembles the preceding in color. It inhabits the coasts of the Mediterranean in winter, and mi- 

 grates northward in summer. It makes its nests in rocks and old castles, and lays three or four eggs. 



There are a number of other species, variously arranged by different naturalists, but which we 

 shall include in this genus, among which are the Black Falcon, F. subniger ; the Sultan Fal- 

 con, F. pereffrinator, much used for falconry in India; the Salakoo Falcon, F. peregrinoidcs ; 

 the Double-bearded Ya.\.cot^, F. cervialis ; the Jugger Falcon, i^./M^/7f?'; the Severe Fal- 

 con, F. severus; the Red-necked Falcon, F. rufigulans; the Paramatta FALCON,F.frontatus; 

 the Uniform Falcon, F. concolor ; the Cream-bellied Falcon, F. bcrir/ora; the New Zealand 

 Falcon, i^. iV^oi'OB Zealandice; the Rock Falcon, F. rupicoloidcs ; the Spotted Falcon, F. -punc- 

 tatus; the Nankin Hawk, F. cenchroides ; and the Cinnamon Falcon, F. cinnamomeus. 



Genus EL ANUS : Elanus. — The birds of this genus resemble the falcons in the sharpness of 

 their wings and some other respects. The Black-shouldered Hawk or White-tailed Hawk, 

 E. leucurus — the Falco dispar of Temminck — is an abundant species in the Southern and South- 

 western States : the upper parts are of a fine ash-color ; the lesser wing-coverts glossy black ; 

 length of the female sixteen to seventeen inches. 



The Black-winged Falcon or Black-winged Swallow-Hawk, F. melanopterus, found in 

 Africa, India, and Australia, is smaller than the preceding, with which it has been confounded. 

 Its plumage is soft and silky, and ash-colored above ; the tail is slightly forked. It lives chiefly 

 on insects, which it captures on the wing. Other species arc the Axillary Falcon, F. oj-il- 

 laris, and the Letter-winged Falcon, F. scriptus. 



Genus PANDION : Pandion, comprises three or four species : in these the bill is short and 

 curved from the base ; the wings are very long ; tarsi short, thick, and strong, and covered with 

 small circular scales ; the claws are sharp and curved ; the tail of moderate length. 



