

In Sweden it is a rare visitor, as Nilsson never knew of its occurring there ; but Mr. Meves 

 has recorded five specimens as having been obtained in the country, viz. : — a bird of the second 

 year and a young female, now preserved in the Upsala Museum ; two young birds at Lund ; 

 and a female, in the second year's plumage, in Mr. C. Moller's collection, at Wedels-back. 

 Kjaerbolling relates that he shot a male at Laesoe, in Denmark, and observed the female at the 

 same time ; but no other instances of its occurrence there are known. In Finland it has lately 

 been more frequently observed, according to Dr. Malmgren ; and M. von Wright records the 

 capture of two examples, one as high as Uleaborg. This latter place is the most northern point, 

 at which the species has yet been found ; but it is a common bird in the Archangel Government, 

 and, according to Prof. Lilljeborg, particularly numerous near Kargapol. We have ourselves 

 seen an adult male shot near Archangel, now in the possession of Mr. David Morgan, of 

 Walthamstow. Meyer says it is found in the large forests of Esthonia and Livonia, where it 

 also nests, and is not rare near the Peipus Lake. We are indebted to Mr. Meves for the 

 following observations made during his recent journey in Russia : — 



" I first observed the Red-legged Falcon, singly, early in June on the canal -journey between 

 Schlusselburg and Novaja Ladoga. On the 26th June I found it at Andorna, on Lake Onega, 

 on marshy meadows overgrown with willow bushes and straggling trees. On a dead fir tree five 

 or six used to perch in the evening, of which, however, I was only able to procure one adult 

 male. They seem to prefer high and open objects as a perching-place, and thence make, like 

 the Hobby, distant raids after larger insects. At night, between eleven and twelve o'clock, I 

 saw a large number, about thirty, not, however, in a close flock, hunting out of gunshot after 

 insects. 



" I saw this bird later on at Archangel, but only singly ; and there it was very shy. On my 

 homeward journey I saw on the 13th August, about thirty versts north of Kargapol, from twelve 

 to fifteen individuals, chiefly young birds ; and they generally perched on the telegraph wires ; I 

 was, however, not fortunate enough to procure one, as I had only some almost useless powder I 

 had purchased on the journey." 



Mr. Meves gives a careful description and measurements of this bird, which agree with those 

 of an adult male in our own collection. He further states that the bird in question had probably 

 been incubating, as it had two large bare incubation-spots on the abdomen. The stomach con- 

 tained insects, chiefly Libellulce. 



As regards its distribution in Germany, Naumann writes as follows : — 



" In this part of the country (Anhalt) I have seen it several times, and have observed that 

 it does not frequent the large dense forests, but affects groves which border on plains, meadows 

 covered with straggling bushes, and such-like open places, and here it prefers to dwell. In the 

 daytime it is generally flying about in the fields. As a migrant it comes to us at the end of April 

 or early in May, then proceeds to its breeding-stations, which probably are further to the north, 

 and returns to us on its road back to warmer climes, where it winters in August and September." 



Naumann knew nothing of its breeding-habits; and we may here remark that the above 

 surmise of this most accurate observer has not proved correct; for, as we elsewhere state, the 

 breeding-stations of this bird are to the east and south, and it is only found far north in but few 

 localities, Archangel for instance. 



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