en! es GES <8 Ni, 
This bird is faid to inhabit Zhuringéa in the breeding feafon, and 
appears as a bird of paffage, as it is not feen in winter; it makes the 
neft as late as May, whereas the reft of the birds of prey build theirs 
in March and April. 
I much fufpect that the above defcribed are no other than the 
Keftril, which is. known to wear the female plumage for fome length 
of time; and to fay the truth, very many of the Falcon genus have fo 
mixed an appearance in their plumage, partaking both of male and 
female, as to appear to the lefs informed naturalift as a diftin&® 
{pecies. 
Le Montagnard, Lewaill. O:/-i. p. 144. pl. 35. 
Crefferelle Montagnard, Daud. Orz. ii. p. 135. cix. 
T firft fight this bird has greatly the appearance of the male 
Keftril; but on comparifon with that bird, in refpect to fize and 
make, it will be found to differ in many particulars: it is a little 
bigger: the bill is black; cere and legs yellow: the head rufous, 
inclining to brown at the nape: the back rufous, marked with 
crefcents of black: tail pale rufous, croffed with feveral brown bands: 
chin white: under parts of the body pale rufous, ftreaked with dufky 
fpots down the middle of each feather ; but the lower belly, vent, and 
thighs are the fame, on a pale grey ground: quills black above, 
beneath barred with white; all the under wing coverts rufous white, 
with dufky fpots: tail almoft even at the end, or rather rounded, and 
the quills reach to about the middle of it. The female, as in other 
birds of prey, a little exceeds the male in fize. 
It is very common in various parts of the Cape of Good Hope, 
and its neighbourhood; called there Rooye-Va/k (Red Falcon) or 
Steen-Valk (Stone Falcon) ; alfo feen in mott parts of Africa, efpecially 
mountainous 
Me 
45 
PLace. 
49° 1 
RUFOUS- 
BACKED 
KESTRIL- 
DeEscriPrTion. 
PLACE. 
