The Red-Footed Falcon '49 



being appropriated. The eggs are from frnir to six in number, differing only from 

 those of tlie Kestrel in being a little smaller in size ; in general, being of a 

 whitish ground colour, spotted and blotched with red, while others are as richly 

 marked with dark purple red upon a reddish gnnind as the handsome varieties of 

 the Kestrel; they measure from r6 to ra.s inches, by from rz to i inch. In a 

 large collection of eggs, containing numerous clutches of all the smaller British 

 FaUonida, it will be found that the eggs of the Hobb}', Red-footed Falcon, Merlin, 

 and Kestrel run so closely together in their varieties, that unless they were all 

 properly marked it would be quite impossible to separate them, and to assign 

 them to their proper owners, supposing they became by any chance mixed ; the 

 same remark has alread}' been made respecting the eggs of the Kites and 

 Buzzards. 



Lord Lilford writes of the Red-footed Falcons as observed by him in Corfu : 

 " The};^ seemed to spend the hot hours of the day perched in small clusters on 

 the tall cypresses and few poplars that diversify the lovely scenery of the island ; 

 as the day waned these birds might be observed hovering and circling in every 

 direction at a moderate height over the fields and olive-groves, showing a decided 

 predilection for the neighbourhood of streams or ponds of fresh water. The}^ had 

 no fear whatever of human beings, and frequently flew past or hovered within 

 half a gun shot of us as we sat or stood perfectl}^ unconcealed." 



The Red-footed Falcon captures its food in the air, and also on the ground, 

 on which it runs with remarkable ease and speed. In its habits it more closel}^ 

 resembles the Kestrel than the Hobby or Alerlin, and does not possess the swift- 

 ness of flight of those birds. Besides insects it also feeds upon mice and lizards. 



The adult male is all over a dark lead coloiir, which is somewhat lighter on 

 the wings, the quills being silvery grey above, and black beneath ; the tail black ; 

 belly, thighs, and under tail-coverts rich chestnut ; cere and space round the e3'es 

 orange red ; irides hazel ; bill orange at base, dark horn colour at tip ; legs and 

 toes brownish red ; claws j'ellowish white ; length 1 1 \ inches. 



The female is much lighter in colour than the male, having the head, nape, 

 and under parts uniform dull chestnut, wdthout spots, somewhat paler on the 

 throat ; feathers round the e3-es dark brown ; back and tail slate gre}", each feather 

 broadl}? barred with darker grey : the wings are not so silver}- gre}^ as in the 

 male, the}- are chestnut beneath, and the quills are broadly barred w-ith white on 

 the inner web : length 1 2 inches. 



Young birds have the nape and under parts pale buff, the former obscurety 

 and the latter broadh- streaked with brown ; upper parts slate brown, barred with 

 rufous : bill and cere horn colour ; legs and toes paler than in adults : tail barred 



Vol. Ill 2 A 



