282 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HLST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVII. 



M. regulus. 

 M. chiquera. 

 T. alaudarius. 



Size small, wing about 8 to 9" ; 2nd and 3rd prima- 

 ries longest and subequal, first much shorter and appro- 

 ximately equal to the 4th ; crown grey or brown, dark- 

 shafted. 



Size small, wing in females about 9" ; 2nd and 3rd 

 primaries longest and subequal first much shorter 

 and approximately equal to the fourth ; crown chest- 

 nut. 



As for genus. 



Type H. 

 Family FALCONID.^. 

 Subfamily FALCONING. 

 Genus Falco. 



No. 1254. Falco peregrimis. The Peregrine Falcon. 



Characteristics. 



Colouration. 



Size medium, length of male about 15" and of a» 

 female about 18" ; 1st primary longer than the 3rd ; 

 cheek-stripe broader than the eye ; no nuchal collar, 

 crown dark grey, sometimes almost black ; breast 

 very shghtly tinged with rufous. 



In adults. Slate-grey above, darker on the head 

 and neck and gradually shading down to a pale grey 

 on the rump, most of the feathers dark-shaftsd and 

 except on the head and nape with dark cross-bands. 

 Cheek-stripe black ; Primaries blackish, with white 

 bars on the inner webs, except near the end ; Secon- 

 daries ash}^ grey Avith darker cross-bands ; tail dark 

 grey or blackish with numerous ashy-grey cross bars, 

 closer together and paler towards the base, extreme 

 tip and borders near tip, whitish ; lower parts white 

 with a rufous tinge, a few brown or black spots on the 

 lower breast and middle of the abdomen, and narrow 

 dark bars on the flanks, lower wing-coverts, thigh 

 coverts, and under tail-coverts. 



Young birds are very dark brown above, the fea- 

 thers edged with rufous, the buif bases of the feathers 

 showuig about the nape ; the tail feathers with about 

 six transversely oval rufous spots on each web, form- 

 ing imperfect cross-bars ; primaries as in adults ; 

 cheek-stripe narrower ; lower parts white, buff, or 

 rufescent, spotted, except on the throat, with broad 

 brown elongate median stripes, becoming broad spots 

 on the flanks (Blanford). 



The transition from the young to the old plumage 

 is gradual but considerable and, I do not think there 

 can be much doubt, that variations of a marked degree 

 exist in individuals of the same age. 



The bird with an almost jet black head and dark- 

 brown back and under parts of a rich cream colour 

 with deep brown markings, is an entirely different, 

 looking bird to the one with the slaty grey back and 

 pxire white under parts, sparsely speckled with black, 

 and transverse bars on the flanks. 



