FALCONID.E — THE FALCONS. 9.30 



black ; on tlio sides ami tibiiu these streaks are eximmled into a more acuminate, 

 elliptical I'onn ; tlio erissum only is immaculate, although the throat is only very sparsely 

 streaked ; on the ear-coverts the streaks arc very line and numerous, but uniformly dis- 

 tributed. 



No. 18,404 (west ol' Fort Benton, on the Missouri, ^[ay 10, I8(i4; Captain .Tas. A. 

 MuUan, var. striittuliis). Similar to No. '20,!)20, but colors nuich darker. Upper parts with 

 dark brown prevailiuj.', the pale borders to the featheis very narrow, and the basal very 

 restricted and concealed; uiiper tail- „. .ts deep asliy-umbcr, tipped narrowly with 

 white, and with large subtermiual, transversely cordate, and other anterior bars of 

 dusky. Tail a.sliy-brown, much darker than in No. '20,920, with live l)road, sharply 

 defined bands of blackish, without any distinct light bordering bar. White of the lower 

 parts entirely destitute of any yellowish tinge, the stripes much broader than in No. 

 '20,920, and deep brownish-black, tiie shafts not perceptibly darker; tibiic with transverse 

 bar.s of dusky ; lower tail-coverts with transverse spots of the same. Wing, 12.2.") ; tail, 

 9.70. 



Yuiing female (second year, No. 20,921, Nova Scotia; W. G. Winton). Head above, 

 nape, rump, and upper tail-coverts, with a deep ochraccous tinge ; the characters of 

 markings, however, as in the male. Bands on the tail more sharply dcfmed, the narrow 

 white bar separating the black from the grayish bands more continuous and conspicuous; 

 lateral feathers more mottled ; grayi.sh tip of tail passing terminally into white. Beneath 

 with a faint ochraceous wash, this most apparent on the lining of the; wings and tibiie ; 

 streaks as in the male, but rather more numerous, the throat lieing thickly streaked. 



No. 1 1,740 (Puget Sound, October 20, 18,J8 ; Dr. C. B. Kennerly. Var. Mriatidus). 

 Similar to No. 18,404, but more uniformly blacki.sh above ; tip of tail more distinctly 

 whitisli ; stripes beneath broader an<l deeper black, becoming broailcr and more tear- 

 shaped posteriorly, some of the markings on the flanks being cordate, or even transverse. 

 Wing-formula, 4, 5, 3 - 0, 2 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 = 1. Wing, 13.00 ; tail, 10.80 ; tarsus, 2.80 ; 

 middle toe, 1.80. 



Yoiiiir/ female (first year, No. 49,002, Calais, Me. ; G. A. Boardman). Differs from 

 the female in the second year (No. 20,921) as follows: On the wings and upper tail- 

 covert.s the yellowish-white spots are less concealed, or, in fact, this forms the ground- 

 color ; secondary coverts ochraceous-whito, with two very <listant transverse spots of 

 dark brown, rather narrower than the white spaces ;* tips of fei.thers brftatlly while ; 

 .secondaries grayish-brown, tipped with wHiite, more mottled with the same toward bases, 

 and crossed by five bands of dai'k brown, the first two of which are concealed Iiy the 

 coverts, the last quite a distance from the end of the feathers; ui)per tail-coverts white, 

 mottled on inner webs with ijrown, each with two transverse broad bars, and a sub- 

 terminal cordate spot of dark Ijrowii, the last not touching thi; edge of the feather, and 

 the anterior bars both concealed liy the overlaying feather. Tail grayish-brown, tipped 

 with white, and with six bands of l)lackish-brown ; those bordered with white as in the 

 older stage. Markings beneath as in the older stage, but tho.se on the sides more cordate. 

 Wing-fornnda. 4, 5, 3 - - 7 - 2 - 8 - 9, 1, 10. Wing, 14.00 ; tail, 11.50. 



In regard to the form indicated in the above descriptions as " var. sfrlntidus, 

 Kidgway," I am as yet undecided whether to recognize it as a geograpliical 

 race, or to merely consider tlic two adult plumages as representing difterent 

 ages of the same form. Certain it is that there is a decided ditterence in 

 the young plumage, between the birds of tliis si)ecies from the eastern portion 

 of North America and those from the western regions ; these differences con- 

 sisting in the very nnich darker colors of the western individuals, as sliown 

 by the above descriptions. My first impression in regard to the adult dress. 



