STRANGERS OF THE AUTUMN. 



213 



The identification of these rare migrants is 

 often a matter requiring great care and skill, as 

 they are mostly young or immature birds, or, if 

 adults, in winter plumage, when the various points 

 that distinguish them from allied species are not 

 so conspicuous or pronounced. There can be 

 little doubt that many of our familiar European 

 species, whose range in summer extends east- 

 wards into Asia, get lost in their turn, and wander 

 far away into the remote east and south during 

 autumn. Unfortunately there are so few observers 

 in these eastern countries, that such accidental 

 wanderings have every chance of being over- 

 looked. The following table will help the student 

 to identify any of these strangers of the autumn 

 that may chance to fall in his way : 



SPECIES. 



Griffon Vulture 



Egyptian Vulture . 



Red-footed Falcon . 



POINTS OF DISTINCTION. 



General colour fulvous brown ; 

 wings and tail brownish black ; 

 head and neck covered with white 

 down. Length 40 inches. 



General colour white; primaries 

 black, secondaries brown; fore 

 part of head and neck bare of 

 feathers. Length 25 inches. 



Adult male uniform slate gray ; 

 thighs, vent, and under tail 

 coverts chestnut. Female, upper 

 parts lighter and barred with 

 grayish black ; under parts dul 

 chestnut. Young distinguished 

 by row of oblong white spots on 

 primaries, and chestnut thighs. 

 Length 12 inches. 



