AND FALCO PEREGRINATOR. 429 



for the loan of it. In this specimen the crown and sides of 

 the head, the nape, neck, and throat, closely resemble the cor- 

 responding parts in the type of F. atriceps, but all the wing- 

 coverts, excepting those near the edge of the wing, the scapu- 

 lars, interscapulars, and tertials are much darker, more tinged 

 with brown, and show the transverse bars less distinctly ; the lower 

 back, upper tail-coverts, tail, and secondary wing feathers, are 

 very similar in the two specimens, but the interspaces between 

 the bars on the inner webs of the primaries are much more 

 rufous in the Dharmsala bird. The tail exhibits twelve dark 

 transverse bars, of which the last is the broadest, and is suc- 

 ceeded by a narrow fulvous tip. On the under surface, the 

 upper breast only differs from the type of F. atrkeps in the 

 presence of fine dark shaft marks on the feathers of its lower 

 portion; from thence downwards the ground color of the under 

 parts is decidedly more rufous than in that specimen, and the 

 central part of the lower breast and abdomen are more pro- 

 fusely spotted ; the under wing-coverts, axillaries, flanks, 

 thighs, lower abdomen, and crissum are transversely barred as 

 in the type of F. atriceps, but on all these parts the interspaces 

 between the bars are much more rufous, and on the under wing- 

 coverts, thighs, and crissum, the transverse bars are more 

 strongly marked. 



The following are the measurements which I have taken 

 from this example : — 



Wing ... ... 12-95 



Tarsus ... ... 2" 



Mid-toe S. W. ... 1-95 



The inference which I am disposed to draw from the above 

 data is, that Falco atriceps is a geographical race of Falco pere- 

 grinator, chiefly distinguishable by its abundant transverse 

 markings, lack of rufous coloring and prevalent grey tints on 

 the abdominal and tibial plumage,* and thus differing conspi- 

 cuously from specimens like those I have examined from Cey- 

 lon, in which these parts are decidedly rufous and almost 

 immaculate ; but that the two phases of plumage are so-much 

 connected by the occurrence of individuals of intermediate and 

 ambiguous coloration, that they do not admit of the races being 

 defined with sufficient precision to merit the position of sepa° 

 rate and distinct species. I may add that SundevalPs type spe- 

 cimen of Falco peregrinator appears to me, from his description, 

 to have been a specimen of this intermediate character as to 

 markings and coloration. The typical F. atriceps appears to be 



* Jerdon apparently refers to such a specimen, a female from the H. W" 

 Himalayas, in the Museum of the Asiatic Societj— ^;jie Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 26. 



