FAL C O N. 
ends being black, and at times is fpread out horizontally like a tail: 
at the bend of the wing, and beneath it on the fides, the feathers are 
marked with roundifh white fpots: the tail is dufky, croffed in the 
middle with a broad rufous white band; the very tip almoft white: 
the legs are oker yellow; claws black. The female as ufual is larger 
than the male. 
It frequents only the barren and fultry parts of the country of the 
Grand Nemaquas, and from thence to the tropic of Capricorn; it 
preys chiefly on the Kiipdas, or Cape Cavy*, though it is obliged 
at times to take up with lizards, &c. It is obferved to watch the 
’ Cavy for three hours together, with the head between the fhoulders, 
in an immoveable pofture, and the moment it obferves the animal 
iffue from its retreat, fprings fuddenly upon it, and devours it with 
great apparent ferocity. It however fometimes miffes of its prey, 
in which cafe it utters a kind of lamentation, fomewhat fimilar to the 
words houi-bi-bi, thrice repeated, and immediately afterwards changes 
its place, in order to watch as before ; this feems abfolutely neceffary, 
for the plaintive cry of this bird, added to its fruitlefs attempt to 
feize on its prey, does not fail to alarm and frighten all the cavies 
into their lurking places, not to appear again for fome hours. 
It is a folitary bird, except in the breeding feafon, and then only 
»feen in pairs; this is about the month of December, and after rearing 
two or three young ones, they again return to a folitary life: the 
neft is among the rocks, compofed of a bed of mofs and leaves, ill 
put together: it is a very fhy and fierce fpecies. 
Falco maritimus, Ind. Orn. i. p. 20. 35.—=Lichtenb. Mag. fur das neuofte auf der Phy/. 
iv. 2. 6. 
HE fhort account we can obtain of this bird, informs us, that 
it is four feet two inches in breadth, and feventeen inches 
* Hyrax Capenfis. Cavia Capenfis Lin, 
in 
23 
Pace. 
13, 
MARITIME 
FB. 
DEscriPrion, 
