Class II. MERLIN. 251 



Falco iEsalon F. cera pedibus- Medina Turneri. 03 Mer- 



que flavis, capite ferrugineo, Smerlus, Smerillus. Aldi.av. lin.* 



corpore supra coerulescente- i. I87. 



cinereo macnlis striisque feiv TViL orn. 85. 



rugineis, subtus flavicante- Rail syn. av. 15. 



albo, maculis oblongis. Lath. L'Emerillort. Brisson av. i. 



Ind. orn. 4Q. id. Syn. i. 106. 382. Hist. dois. i. 288. 



id. Sup i. 29. PL Enl. 468. 



Falco iEsalon. Gm. Lin. 284. Smerlio, o Smeriglio. Lorenzi 

 L'Esmerillon Belonav. 118. av.tah. 18, IQ. 



iEsalon. Gesnerav. 44. Br. Zool.JQ. plate A. 12. 



JL HE merlin weighs nearly five ounces and a Descrip- 

 half: its length is twelve inches, its breadth 

 twenty five. The bill is of a bluish lead color : 

 the cere of a lemon color : the irides very dark, 

 almost black : the head is ferruginous, and each 

 feather is marked with a bluish black streak 

 along the shaft. The back and w T ings are of a 

 deep bluish ash color, adorned with ferruginous 

 streaks and spots, and edged with the same : the 

 quil feathers are almost black, marked with red- 

 dish oval spots : the under coverts of the wings 

 brown, beautifully marked with round white 

 spots. The tail is five inches long, crossed with 

 alternate bars of dusky and reddish clay color ; 

 on some of the feathers of the same bird are 



* Merulariusj quia merulas insectatur. Skinner. 



