439 



Notice of Falco rufy^es ; the Orange-legg ed Hohby. By 

 George Tate, F.G.S. 



From Mr. Middleton Dand I received an unknown bird, 

 which had been found in a dying state in the garden at 

 Hauxley, on October 9th, 1868. After a careful examination, 

 it proved to be the Falco rufipes, of Bechstein, or Falco 

 vespertinus , of Linneus, the Orange-legged Hobby, one of 

 the rarest of British birds. It had been flying about the 

 neighbourhood for a few days previously, and was shot at and 

 wounded, from the effects of which it had died. This species 

 was first noticed as British, by Yarrell, in 1830, when four 

 specimens Avere obtained in Norfolk. Subsequently, it was 

 taken in Ireland, in Yorkshire, and Durham ; but it has not 

 previously been seen in Northumberland or in Scotland. It 

 is a native of Russia, where it is common, of Poland and 

 Austria, and it ranges southward to Tuscany. 



As this bird has been seldom described, the characters of 

 this Northumbrian specimen may be given ; in the examina- 

 tion of it, I have enjoyed the aid of Mr. Thomas Gibb, an ex- 

 perienced Taxidermist. 



It is a female in full plumage ; 12 inches long ; the wings 

 when extended measuring 27^ inches across, and when closed 

 reaching nearly to the tail. The beak is short, strong, and dark, 

 but orange at the base ; the cere and eyelids are of a reddish 

 orange, and the irides dark brown ; the eye is encircled with 

 dark brown, and between the angle of the mouth and eye is 

 a triangular patch of dark brown. The forehead is grey, 

 tinged with light brown; the head, neck, and upper part of 

 the back are russet brown. The back, wing coverts, tail and 

 upper tail coverts are leaden grey, transversely barred by 

 brownish black. The primary wing quills are also brownish* 

 black, barred with white ; but these bars, which are 

 numerous and distinct on the outer quills, gradually lessen 

 in number and become indistinct on the inner quills. The 

 second primary quill is the longest ; and the inner web of 

 the first quill is abruptly cut out about half an inch from the 

 end. The throat is white, slightly tinged with light brown ; 

 the breast and the under surface of the body are of a pale 

 cinnamon brown, with a few feathers of dark brown. The 

 tarsi and toes are orange colour ; the claws are small and not 

 so curved as in other falcons. The food seems to have been 

 entirely insects ; in its stomach were found the remains of 

 beetles, but so decomposed that their affinities could not be 



