FALCO CAXD1CANS. 301 



near the sea shore. I do not, however, think that they occur much north of New Jersey 

 during winter. 



FALCO CANDICANS. 



Jor Falcon. 



Falco candicans GM., Syst. Nat., I; 1788, 275. 

 DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cu. Form, robust. Size, very large. Sternum, stout, with tlie marginal indentations quite large. Tongue, long, 

 not very fleshy, and about ihc same width for nearly its entire length, then is rounded, slightly bifid, and grooved beneath. 

 Tai-su-. feathered in front for more than half its length. AYings, with two outer quills incised. Cocca, present and com- 

 paratively well developed. Soxes, similar in color. 



LIGHT STAGE. 



Coi.oi;. Adult. "White throughout with regular an. 1 irregular confluent bands and spots of dark-brown above, and 

 spar- I l)elo\v with the same color. Primaries and tail, transversely banded with brownish and the former is tip- 



ped with it. 



Vouny. Quite similar to the adult in general coloration but tinted with bluish above and below. T-he bandings are 

 r and the spots larger. 



Youny of l/i>- i/mr. Are o\erwashnd with brown above, and every feather is spotted and edge! with reddish. The 

 under part* arc ting.-d with \v!L>\vis!i-wliite an 1 longitudinally streaked with dusky. 



_\< .;//</.?. Are at llrst covered with white down, then gradually assume the plumage last described, which they keep 

 for n year. 



DARK STAGE. 



u. Adult. Sooty black, throughout, becoming lighter below, but not conspicuously barred or spotted anywhere. 

 Bill and cere, pale blue, iris, dark-brown, feet, slaty-blue, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



This species is subject t > van .us change-: of plumage \v!ii<- ! i are merely due to a predominance of the lighter or darker 

 tints. The different plumages have been described by authors under several names, either as species or races; thus thelight 



is, or saccr and the dark types.LoArarfora. To be consistent with my views already 

 i-ider them all one species. Readily known from all other speeies by the large size, prepon- 

 white in the IL'ht -tage and peeuliar Fa leonine form, as well as uniform tints when dark. Distributed as a 

 constant resident, throughout North America, above latitude 50'. Rare in New England during winter. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of male specimens from Kastern North America. Length, 21-75; stretch, 48'50; wing, 15'75; 

 tail. !)-7/>; bill, L'30; towai, 1".)"). Longest specimen, 2-J-50; greatest extent of wing, 4!)'00; longest wing, Ki'OO; tail, 

 1000. bill, 1-30; tarsus, 2-00. Shortest spe.-imen, 21'00; smallest extent of wing, 48'00; shortest wing, lo"50; tail, 950; 

 bill, 1-00; tarsus, TSO. 



..ts of female specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 23'50; stretch, 50'00; wing, 10' .10; 



toil, 10-5:); bill, r:;>. tarsus, 2-05. I isoitnen, -'KM; g;eate<t extent of wing, 51-00; longest wing, 17-00; tail, 



11 <>,>; bill, i-M; tarsu-, 'J' 10. Shortest spacimen, 23'00; smallest extent of wing, 4'J'OO, shortest wing, 16-00; tail, lO'OO; 

 bill, 1-10; tarsus, l'-'j.j. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



!, placed on rocky cliffs. Although the eggs are occasionally placed on the naked rock, there is usually a rudely 



of sticks, moss, and sea weeds. 



ur in mi'ii' oval or spherical in form, varying from creamy-white to yellow-brown in color, 



profusely sprinkled with reddNh-brown of varying shades, usually so thickly as to nearly, or even completely, obscure the 

 ground color. Dimensions from l'71x-J 1- to 1 '00x345. 



BABTT8. 



The Jer Falcon are, to my taste, the haudsomcst of the order. Perhaps, however, 



this i'aucy of mine may be due to the fact that, as these birds are very rare in the sections 



