194 ACCIPITRES. 



has a blue-grey tailj crossed by a broad subterminal black band ; but 

 the blue-grey extends to the wing-coverts, scapulars, tertials, and 

 interscapulars. The female and immature male closely resemble 

 those of the Kestrel, but may be distinguished by having seven 

 instead of nine dark bars across the tail, which is also less rounded. 



Figures: Dresser, Birds of Europe, iv. pi. 380 (male and female 

 adult), pi. 381 (very old female and young in first plumage) . 



The Merlin is a common resident in all the Japanese Islands. 

 There are several examples in the Swinhoe collection from Hakodadi, 

 and there are ten examples in the Pryer collection from Yokohama, 

 whence the first occurrence of this species in Japan was recorded 

 (Swinhoe, Ibis, 1877, p. 144). 



The range of the Merlin extends from the British Islands across 

 Europe and Siberia to Japan. 



176. FALCO TINNUNCULUS. 



(KESTREL.) 



Falco tinnunevlus, Linneus, Syst, Nat. i. p. 127 (1766). 



The Japanese Kestrel belongs to the eastern race of the dark form 

 of the Kestrel ; and may be regarded as subspecifically distinct, under 

 the name (dating from 1845) of Falco tinnunculus japonicus (Tem- 

 minck and Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Aves, p. 2) . 



The Kestrel varies in length of wing from 10^ to 9i inches. It 

 is very closely allied to the Merlin, the adult males of both species 

 having a blue-grey tail, crossed by a broad subterminal black band; 

 but in the Kestrel the wing-coverts, scapulars, tertials, and inter- 

 scapulars are chestnut, barred with black. The females and imma- 

 ture males are much more difficult to determine, but in the Kestrel 

 there are nine (instead of seven) dark bars across the tail, and the 

 outer feathers are more than an inch (instead of less than half an 

 inch) shorter than the central ones. The outer toe is also more 

 nearly equal to the inner toe than it is in the Merlin. 



Figures : Temminck and Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Aves, pi. 1 

 (immature female), pi. 1 b (adult male) . 



The Japanese Kestrel is a common resident in the southern islands 

 of Japan, but is not known to have occurred in Yezzo. Mr. Ringer 

 has sent examples to the Norwich Museum procured at Nagasaki 



