97 



body of the migration has passed. They prefer open tracts of country, sparsely covered with low 

 bushes, as their hunting-ground. I have seen as many as sixty flying backwards and forwards for 

 hours in fine weather, feeding after the manner of Bee-eaters ; but their movements are not so 

 quick. They also wander from valley to valley hunting for food. In damp weather they sit 

 much on the ground, moping like Swallows ; and they also rest on mounds of earth and low 

 bushes, whence they fly from place to place close to the ground after their beetle food. • At this 

 time they are easily approached ; but as soon as the weather brightens up they become more 

 lively and mount up and hover above the ground like a Kestrel, though perhaps not quite so 

 high, occasionally stooping down and capturing a beetle. A few young birds are sometimes 

 taken with limed twigs in the autumn by small-bird-catchers ; in summer I have never observed 

 them, their dates of arrival being about the middle of April, and their departure taking place 

 about the middle of September. Their food seems to consist almost entirely of Beetles. Male 

 and female both vary in intensity of colouring." 



MM. Alleon and Vian (Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 18C9, p. 30G) say that during their passage 

 these Falcons are nearly as numerous on the Bosphorus as Hobbies, particularly in the autumn, 

 and are seen there every year. In southern Russia the Red-legged Falcon is very common, 

 arriving in April. As regards its eastern range, Radde (Reisen Siid-Ost Sib. p. 102) says that he 

 procured it in the Tumkinskian Steppe, in Western Siberia, and after that he met with no species 

 of Red-footed Falcon till E. amurensis appeared in the middle of Amoorland. Mr. Keith Abbott 

 (P. Z. S. 1834, p. 51) shot the present species at Trebizond; but De Philippi did not meet with 

 it during his travels in Persia. 



Lindermayer says the Red-legged Falcon is found throughout all Greece, arriving late in 

 March or early in April, and breeding there, and, according to Erhard, is even said to winter on 

 the islands of the Archipelago. Lord Lilford records it from Corfu ; and the Rev. Dr. Tristram 

 states that in Palestine it is a summer migrant, but scarce. Specimens are also in our collection 

 obtained by J. H. Cochrane in Syria. Dr. von Heuglin says it visits north-eastern Africa in 

 winter, and he met with it in Lower Egypt in September. Mr. Gurncy kindly informs us that 

 he has a memorandum that Speke procured a specimen at Bogue, in Uzinza ; but he adds that 

 when he made this note he was not aware of the difference between E. vespertinus and E. 

 amurensis, so that perhaps the bird was really of the latter species. Professor Barboza du 

 Bocage has received a large series of the present species from Benguela, forwarded by Signor 

 Anchieta. And "in Damaraland," says the late Mr. Andersson, "it appears duriDg the wet 

 season in incredible numbers. They then come, not by thousands, but literally by tens of 

 thousands." 



In Malta the present species is abundant during migration ; and we have numerous specimens 

 in our collection sent to us by Mr. Wright. In Algeria, Captain Loche states that it is common, 

 and breeds. 



As regards the habits of the present bird, the best account we know of is given by A. von 

 Nordmann in ' Demidoff's Voyage dans la Russie Meridionale,' hi. p. 82, as follows : — 



" The Red-footed Falcons appear with us in the first portion of April, and often in astonish- 

 ing numbers. They are generally accompanied by several other species, such as F. tinnunculus, 

 F. cesalon, and F. subbuteo. During the day the flocks disperse ; but about 4 p.m. they all 



