78 THE CREAM-BELLIED FALCON. 



without the dark lines. The shafts of each feather are, however, of a dark brown, and 

 give a very rich and peculiar colouring to those portions of the plumage. The pinions are 

 black, the upper surface of the tail is nearly grey, with the exception of three faint dark 

 bands, the last being the broadest, and the tip white. The chin and throat are white, and 

 the under parts of tlie body are reddish fawn, thickly marked with patches of a darker 

 colour, and streaks of deep brown. The cere, legs, and toes are yellow, the claws black, 

 and the beak a slaty grey, deepening towards the point, and slightly marked with 

 longitudinal dark lines. Round the neck runs a band of pale reddish-brown, which also 

 extends to the cheeks, and there forms a patch on each side. 



This description belongs to the male bird, the colouring of the female being of a rather 

 different nature. The beautiful blue-grey which tints the upper parts of the male bird 

 is in the female of a dark reddish-brown, marked with slender longitudinal streaks covered 

 by the black-brown shafts of each feather. The secondaries and the wing-coverts are of the 

 same hue as the back. The tail is brown, varied with five narrow streaks of dark brown, 

 and the under surface of the body is a very pale brown, marked with longitudinal dashes of 

 a darker hue. The young of both sexes are nearly alike for the first year, after which time 

 the males assume their peculiar colouring, and the females retain the same tints. 



The genus Hypotriorchis is rather rich in interesting birds, among which may be 

 noticed the Pigeon Hawk of Alnerica and the Chicquera Falcon of India. 



The former of these birds is found not only in America, but also in parts of the West 

 Indies, a specimen from Jamaica being in the collection of the British Museum. Generally, 

 however, it is found in Southern America, where it is rather plentiful, and may be seen 

 hunting for its prey in the proper localities. It is a spirited and swift-winged bird, 

 although not a very large one, measuring barely eleven inchesi, in length, and not quite 

 two feet in the expanse of wing. A rather remarkable peculiarity in its plumage is 

 found in the feathery covering of the legs, which is singularly long, the tips of the 

 feathers reaching nearly to the feet. 



The usual prey of the Pigeon Hawk consists of mice, small birds, reptiles, and various 

 insects, and it has a remarkably shaip eye for any unfortunate half-fledged bird that may 

 have strayed from its nest, or crippled itself in its first endeavours to fly. It is a terrible 

 foe to the reed birds, grackles, and other similar members of the winged race ; hovering 

 continually about the crowded flocks, and picking off the stragglers or !he weakly at 

 leisure. Sometimes, however, the Hawk seems to lose patience, and dashing suddenly 

 into the flock, will bear away an unfortunate bird from the midst of its companions. It 

 has derived the name of Pigeon Hawk, because it is well known as one of the numerous 

 birds of prey that hover around the myriad armies of the Passenger Pigeon, as they make 

 their wonderful migrations which have rendered them so famous. 



Further information concerning this bird may be obtained from the pages of Wilson 

 and Audubon. 



The last member of this genus which can be separately noticed in the present work is 

 the Chicqueea Falcon of India. This bird is often trained by the native sportsmen, and 

 employed for the purpose of chasing the bustard and similar game. It is not good at an 

 aerial flight, and therefore is not used against soaring game ; but when employed in the 

 pursuit of the running birds, its peculiar low, skimming flight is admirably adapted to 

 the piirpose. In order to keep the bustard from taking to wing, a Hawk of another species 

 is trained to fly above the quarry and beat it down whenever it endeavours to raise itself 

 into the air and escape by flight. 



This fine bird, which is called the Beown Hawk, or Cream-bellied Falcon, by 

 civilized men, and the Beeigora by the natives, is an inhabitant of Van Diemen's Land 

 and New South Wales. 



It is a rather sluggish and slow-moving bird, easily obtaining a sufficiency of food, and 

 then settling down upon some neighbouring tree until the calls of hunger urge it to fresh 

 exertions. The principal food of the Brown Hawk consists of insects, although it will 



