!34 LANNER FALCON. 
colour between a delicate grey and a pale slate colour, sometimes 
passing into rusty yellow. The under parts clear brownish yellow or 
grey fawn, much more thickly dotted with brown-black spots, like 
drops. In the first young plumage they strikingly resemble the young 
of the Peregrine. Quite old male birds from Nubia, Senar, and Kor- 
dofan are more like the South African form in the vinous red of the 
breast and under parts, the spots seeming to diminish gradually as age 
advances. The Nubian Lanner is found even in Egypt, but its real 
home seems to be the middle and south of Nubia, Senar, Kordofan, 
Takah, Abyssinia, and the Bogos Land. It was not found by Heuglin 
in the region of the Upper White Nile. In the above named countries 
it is more an autumn and winter visitor. It is uncertain whether it 
breeds in Egypt. Speke obtained it for his collection on the Unia- 
muezi. This Lanner lives mostly in pairs, and maintains a tolerably 
wide hunting ground, bordering on water. They rest on isolated palms 
and other high trees; here and there also on rocks and ruins, often 
in proximity to human settlements. They will readily pounce upon 
small animals, even hares and antelopes, but generally limit themselves 
to poultry, doves, wildfowl, and especially water birds. It pursues its 
prey exactly like the Peregrine; quick as an arrow, and swooping 
down, either catching it in its claws when flying or striking it on the 
ground as it stands. Should it miss its aim, it desists from the pursuit. 
Like the next variety, it is used in hawking. Mr. Gurney says that 
this is the true F. lanarius, and not distinct, though Schlegel treated 
it as distinct in his large work on Falconry. 
(5) The Greek Lanner, (Falco lanarius grcecus, Schleg.) — This more 
northern form may generally (says Heuglin) be distinguished from the 
preceding by its less strongly marked scales on the feet. But this is 
not a trustworthy distinction, as the real circumferential difference of 
the scales is trifling. In old birds the top of the head is generally a 
clear rusty brown; the breast and under parts a very clear isabel, or 
sprinkled with vinous; these parts, with the legs and under tail coverts, 
are more thickly studded with brown-black, sharply defined spots, stripes, 
or dots. The spots here met with on the shafts are mostly very small 
and sharp, often drawn out lancet-shaped, and underneath or above a 
a small dot; the under tail coverts have cross markings or bars, arrow- 
shaped or of zigzag form, but in young specimens examined by Heu- 
glin these marks were entirely wanting. The Grecian Lanner is rather 
common in Egypt and Nubia — more frequent, however, in winter than 
summer. Its habits are very similar to those of its Nubian congener. 
In the autumn, when numerous flights of Ducks and Sanderlings in 
search of snails appear, the Falcon is observed chiefly on the banks of 
