196 



SPOTTED-TAILED HOBBY. 



Falco plumbeus. F. cera obscura, pedibus flavis, capite dorso 



wfimo abdomineque cinereis, rectricibus lateralibus intus maculis 



tribus albis. Lath, ind, orn. 

 Falcon with obscure cere, yellow legs, head, lower part of back, 



and abdomen cinereous, and tail-feathers marked internally 



with three white spots. 

 Spotted-Tailed Hobby. Lath. ind. orn. 



Size of a Sparrow-Hawk. Native of Cayenne. 

 Described by Mr. Latham from a preserved spe- 

 cimen. 



THE MERLIN, 



Falco iEsalon, F. cera pedibusque jlavis, capite ferrugineo, 

 corpore supra ex c&rulescente cinereo, maculis striisque ferru- 

 gineis, subtus ex Jlavicante albo maculis oblongis. Lin. Syst. 

 Nat. Gmel. 



Falcon w r ith yellow cere and legs, ferruginous head, body 

 above blueish grey with ferruginous spots and streaks, be- 

 neath yellowish white with oblong spots. 



Falco iEsalon. Briss. orn. 



Merlin. Will. orn. Penn. Brit. Zool. edit.foh p. 70.pl. A. 12. 



The Merlin is the smallest of the British Hawks, 

 and scarcely exceeds the size of a Blackbird. It 

 is thus accurately described by Mr. Pennant. 

 " The Merlin weighs near five ounces and a half: 

 its length is twelve inches; its breadth twenty- five : 

 the bill is of a blueish lead-colour ; the cere of a 



