38 FALCON. 



K. Morphno congener, Raii/yn. p. 7. N° 7. 



SPOTTED _ 



E. 



Br. Muf. 



Will. orn. p. 63. 



Description. 'jpHE length of this bird is two feet. The bill is large, 

 hooked, and black : cere yellow : all the parts above 

 are of a deep rufty brown colour : the feathers on the head and 

 neck are very narrow, like thofe of the Kite, pale at the ends, and 

 for fome way down the fhafts : the fcapular feathers, and wing- 

 coverts, are each marked with an oval whitifh fpot at the end, 

 which fpots become larger as they are lower on the wings; and 

 in the greater coverts they occupy almofl the whole breadth of 

 the feather, giving the wings a moil beautiful appearance : the 

 feathers on the middle of the back are likewife fpotted, but of a 

 pale buff-colour. The greater quills are deep brown, plain, 

 nearly black; fecondaries the fame, but tipped with dirty white i 

 thofe nearer! the body have the end for near an inch white: the 

 upper tail-coverts dirty white: the tail deep brown, tipped with 

 dirty white : belly and vent dark brown, ftreaked with dirty 

 pale buff: thighs brown, ftriped down the fhafts from the mid- 

 dle to the end of each feather with white : legs feathered to the 

 toes, which are yellow : claws black. 



Observation. If I am not miftaken, this bird will prove to be the Morphno con- 

 gener of Aldrovandus ; which 1 have ventured to affert at the be- 

 ginning, and which may be feen by comparing the above with 

 what Willughby fays of it, adding that the iris is cinereous. 



Both M. Briffon and M. de Buffon join this with the fynonyms 

 of the lafl fpecies; but I believe without reaibn. Their bird I do 

 not know ; but am clear that this has exiftence, having myfelf 

 defcribed it from a fpecimen in good condition now in the Bri- 

 tish Museum. 



U 



