BIRDS. RAPACIOUS. Falcons. 525 



Inhabits Bengal. — This is one of the fmalleft of the genus, meafuring only fix inches and a half 

 long: The bill is blackifh; the hind head is white; the orbits are naked and yellow; the cheeks are 

 white with a black ftreak through each ; the tail is black, the two middle quills being uniform, while 

 the reft have tranfverfe white ftreaks on their inner webs; the claws are blackifh. 



197 84. Siberian Falcon. — 122. Falco regulus. 120. 



The cere is greenifh; the legs are dufky yellow; the neck is furrounded by a rufty ruff, 

 or collar ; the body is leaden coloured above, and whitifh, with rufty brown fpots, 

 below. Pall. it. 2. 707. 

 F. regulus. Lath. ind. orn. i. 50. n. 122. — Siberian Falcon. Lath. fyn. i. 113. n. 98. 



Inhabits Siberia. — This fpecies is very rare, and exceedingly fmall, being even lefs than the pre- 

 ceding, and fcarcely weighing half a pound. In general appearance, and in the two tooth-like pro- 

 ceffes of the bill, it refembles the Keftril ; the crown is brown, with blackifh ftreaks ; the back is 

 ftreaked with brown, the fhafts of the feathers being of that colour ; the under part of the body is 

 thickly interfperfed with fmall rufty-brown dots ; the tail quill feathers are black at the edges, white 

 at the tips, leaden coloured near the extremity, and flightly barred on their under furfaces. 



108 85. Tiny Falcon. — Falco piimilus. 



The legs are yellow; the body is brown alh colour; its under parts whitifh, with black- 

 ifh bars ; the crown is whitifh. 



F. tinus. Lath. ind. orn. i. 50. n. 123 — Tiny Falcon. Lath. fyn. fup. 39. 



Inhabits Cayenne. — This is one of the fmalleft fpecies of the genus, which fcarcely meafures fix 

 inches from the tip of the bill to the bafe of the tail. 



III. O W L.— 3. S T R I X. 43. 



The bill is hooked, and has no cere: The noflrils are oblong, 

 being covered by reflected briftly feathers : The head is 

 large, with large eyes, and wide pafTages to the ears : The 

 tongue is cleft. 



The genus of Owls differs from that of Falcons, in fome meafure as Moths differ from Butterflies; 

 Owls and Moths flying about in the evening and night, while Falcons and Butterflies fly chiefly by 

 day; the one being called Nocturnal or night birds, while the others are Diurnal or day birds. Owls 

 prey, chiefly by night, on fmall birds, murine quadrupeds, and bats ; their legs and feet are, for the 

 moft part, clothed with feathers or down, even to the origin of the claws ; three of the toes ftand for- 

 ward, and one backwards, but the outer fore toe can be turned backwards occafionally, fo as to .act 

 along with the back toe ; in this way the feet are either perching or climbing, as is neceffarv at the 

 time : The pafTages to the ears are large, and are provided with a membrane, which, when drawn 

 back, refembles the euftachian tube of the human ear: The eyes are large, full, and protuberant, and 



Vol. I. X x x fhine 



