FALCON. 171 



96— SHORT-TAILED FALCON. 



Falco ecaudatus, Iiid. Orn, Sup. p. iv. Daud; ii. p. 54. Shaw's Zool. vii. 98. 

 Le Batteleur, Levail. Ois. i. p. 31. pi. 7. 8. 

 Short-tailed Falcon, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. p. 21. 



SIZE between the Eagle and Osprey ; bill and legs dusky ; 

 base of the first yellowish ; cere large ; irides deep brown ; head, 

 neck, and all beneath, deep black ; back and tail deep rufovis ; 

 scapulars dusky, varying to blue grey ; lesser coverts Isabella colour ; 

 quills silveiy grey, within dusky ; the tail characteristically short, 

 and half hidden by its coverts ; tlie male is not complete in plumage 

 till the third year's moult. In young birds the general colour is 

 brown, palest on the head and neck ; the edges of the feathers 

 light coloured, and are in this state so unlike the old ones, that 

 were it not for the short tail, they might be mistaken for different 

 species. 



The female is one-fourth bigger than the male, but does not 

 otherwise greatly differ — the young birds, while incomplete in 

 plumage, most resemble the females. 



Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope ; most common about Queer 

 Boom, near Lagoa Bay, and very common in all the country of 

 Hottniqua and Natal, quite to Caffraria — the male and female always 

 seen as company, rarely in troops, except many pairs are invited to 

 the same repast, for they feed on all sorts of carrion, and will attack 

 young antelopes ; they also lurk about inhabited places, for the sake 

 of preying on any sick sheep. Tlie name given it by M. Levaillant 

 arose from its flapping the wings in a singular manner, whilst in 

 the air, so as to be heard at a great distance. It is known also to 

 the inhabitants by the name of Berg-Hhaan (Mountain Cock). 



Z2 



