49 



In Egypt the Barbary Falcon appears to be rare. A specimen from Sakkara is in the 

 Norwich Museum ; and Mr. E. C. Taylor says that he saw one at Cairo in January 1864, in the 

 possession of a gentleman who had shot it the day before near Sakkara ; but he never met with 

 it on any other occasion. Captain Shelley writes (B. of Egypt, p. 187) that, though a resident, 

 it is rather rare in Egypt and Nubia. At Edfoo he saw a pair on the 21st of April which he 

 believes to have belonged to this species; and on the following day he shot a handsome male 

 specimen on a sandbank near El Kab. 



To the eastward the present species ranges as far as India ; for two specimens have 

 undoubtedly occurred there. Mr. A. O. Hume, who gives (Stray Feathers, i. p. 21) a most 

 careful description and measurements of these two birds, says, " The male was procured early 

 in 1872 by Dr. Stoliczka, in Cutch ; the female was shot by F. It. Blewitt, Esq., in the Nursing- 

 poor district (Central Provinces) on the 16th December, 1869." Mr. J. Scully, who obtained 

 three specimens in Turkestan, says (Stray Feathers, iv. p. 118) that " it is said to inhabit the 

 hills of Kiziltagh and Kugiar, and to breed there in summer. It visits the plains of Kashgharin 

 about the beginning of winter, but not in great numbers. It is said to prey chiefly on Pigeons 

 (Columba rupicola) and 'Beghitak' {Ft erodes arenarius)." 



Bespecting the habits of the present species I find nothing of importance on record beyond 

 the information given by Mr. O. Salvin, which I have quoted above. It is very highly esteemed 

 by falconers ; and Messrs. Salvin and Brodrick speak of it as the " beau ideal " of what a Falcon 

 should be, and a perfect model of strength and speed combined ; for, although smaller by nearly 

 a fourth than the Peregrine, it has the organs of destruction, such as the beak, feet, and talons, 

 fully as large, united to longer and more pointed wings in proportion to its total length, in this 

 respect almost rivalling the Hobby. Eggs of the Barbary Falcon in the collection of Mr. O. 

 Salvin and in my own collection resemble those of the Peregrine, but are rather smaller in size. 



The specimen figured is the adult female above described, and belongs to the Norwich 

 Museum ; and I take this opportunity of tendering my sincere thanks for the prompt manner in 

 which it was placed at my disposal, together with the other specimens in that rich collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. Brit. Reg. 

 a, s . Nubia, b, ? . Sierra Alfacar, Granada, Spain, January 1871 {H. Saunders). 



E Mus. Norv. 

 a, b, ? ad. Province of Constantine, Algeria (0. Salvin). c, d . Sakkara, Egypt (Parzudaki). 



E Mus. G. E. Shelley, 

 a, 6. El Kab, N.E. Africa, April 22nd (G. E. S.). 



y2 



