FALCONS 89 



FALCONS 



The first species we will deal with is the South African 

 Lanner {Falco biarmicus) — a handsome, bold-looking bird of 

 from 16 to 18 inches in length. As a rule in birds of prey the 

 female is larger than the male. It is dark slate colour above 

 with a brick-red head — ^the latter with black shaft streaks, 

 the former barred with bluish-grey, below pale fawn colour. 



Its range is wide, extending to Central Africa and Angola. 

 It is a rapid and strong flyer, sallying forth from some krantz 

 to prey upon birds, and steal what poultry it can lay its claws 

 on. We have known it to raise almost full-grown poultry 

 from the ground : in one case the bird would have carried off 

 its prey (a half -grown duckling) had not a pointer dog gallantly 

 rushed to the rescue, and leaping up caused the Hawk to 

 drop the duckling, which escaped with a few scratches. 



The South African Peregine Falcon {F. minor) very much 

 resembles the English bird, the chief point of difference 

 being its considerably smaller size. 



The Eed-necked Falcon {Falco ruficolUs) has the hind 

 neck and crown of head of a reddish-chestnut, and is cobalt- 

 blue above, barred with narrow black stripes. The breast 

 is of a pale chestnut, and the rest of the lower surface of a 

 pale blue barred with black. 



It is not a common bird in South Africa, but the Transvaal 

 Museum contains a female mounted in its nest, taken near 

 Pretoria by Mr. C. B. Horsbrugh on October 24, 1904. This 

 has now been created a new sub-species by Dr. Gunning and 

 Austin Koberts, who have named it F. horsbrughi. 



The Pigmy Falcon (PoUhierax semitorquatus) should 

 perhaps not be included in this chapter, but as it belongs 

 to the Falcons I will include it here. It is an extremely 

 pretty, dainty little bird (not a foot long) in its bright colour- 

 ing of soft grey, chestnut, red and white. It is practically 



