PALCO PHONTATUS. 



(White-fronted Falcon.) 

 4 



.FoEEHEAD, whitisli ; crown, ear coverts, cheeks, and all the upper surface, dark bluish grey ; primaries, nearly black, barred with buff in the 

 shape of large oval spots on the inner webs ; two middle tail feathers, grey, obscurely barred with black ; the remainder are alternately barred 

 with dark grey and chestnut ; throat and chest, whitish buff, each feather with a stripe of brown down the centre ; abdomen and thighs, 

 bright rufous ; bill, lead color ; cere and legs, yellow ; irides, blackish brown. 



Length, 12 inches ; wing, 9i ; tail, 5i ; bill, ■§• ; tarsus, li. 



This is the smallest of the true falcons found in Australia, and is distributed over the whole of the continent and Tasmania. 

 It much resembles in appearance the European Hobby, and is very daring and courageous. Its favorite resort is the neighborhood of swamps 

 and marshes frequented by snipe, plover, &c., which form its principal prey. Its dart is most unerring, and it seldom misses its victim. 

 Captain Sturt remarks that "it follows the line of migration, and makes sad havoc among the parrakeets and smaller birds. He is generally 

 hid in a tree, and would descend like an arrow when they came to water, frequently carrying off two of the little Amadina Castanotus — one 

 in each talon." The approach of Milvus or Circus is disregarded by the feathered tribes generally, but directly one of these small falcons 

 makes its appearance, all is twitter and commotion. 



It builds its nest (which is a rather large but shallow structure, formed of sticks, and lined with strips of bark, grass, &c.) in 

 lofty inaccessible trees. Eggs, from two to three, light buff, blotched and marked all over with dark buff: size, 1 inch 10 lines by 1 inch 

 4 lines. 



