FALCONINiE. 33 



The Falcons comprising the genus leracidea of Gould are pecu- 

 liar to Australia. They are of rather large size ; have the bill of 

 the true Falcons ; the wings are rather short, with the 2nd and 3rd 

 quills about equal and emarginate ; the tarsus somewhat lengthen- 

 ed, with large irregular scales ; the toes short, with the laterals 

 nearly equal. Two species are figured by Gould, in his Birds of 

 Australia, and they correspond so closely to the colors of the 

 Laggar in its young and adult state, that I strongly suspect they are 

 only different ages of one bird. 



The division of Falcons comprising the Jerfalcons, viz., the Ice- 

 land and Greenland Falcons, so beautifully figured by Wolf, Hiero- 

 falco, Kaup., are not represented in India, though apparently one 

 of them is, or used to be, occasionally brought to India, and sold 

 for hawking. It is the Shankar or Sliangar of Indian Falconers ; a 

 word taken from the Baschkir Tartar name of the Jerfalcon, ac- 

 cording to Pallas. They are Falcons of very large size, with a 

 strong tooth, (which becomes rounded in old birds,) and rather 

 short wings, and the bill much lengthened. 



F. subniger, Gray, and F. hypoleucus Gould, from Australia, are 

 the only other species placed among these Jerfalcons. 



Gen. Htpotuiorchis, Boie. 



Syn. Dendrofalco, Gray. — ^salon, Kaup., partly. 



Char. — Of small size. Bill and legs weaker than in true Falco ; 

 wings long or moderate ; tarsus slightly lengthened ; toes unequal, 

 claws not very unequal ; tarsal scales larger in front than in Falco, 

 somewhat hexagonal. 



This subgenus includes two divisions, the first or Hobbies having 

 dark plumage and long wings, with only the first quill emarginate ; 

 the second, with lighter plumage, and shorter wings (the Merlins) 

 and the two first quills emarginate. These last have been separated 

 under the sub-generic name CEsalon. 



Hobbies. 



13. Hypotriorchis Subbuteo, L. 



Falco, apud Lin. — Jerdon, Suppl. Cat. 29 bis — Blyth, Cat. 

 68— HoRsF., Cat. 26— P. E. 432— Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 

 22 — Doureli H., of some, Regi according to others. 



