222 FALCON. 



153— RADIATED FALCON.— Pl. XI. 



Falco radiatus, Ind. Orn. Sup. p. xii. Shale's Zool. vii. 177. 

 Radiated Falcon, Gen. Syn-. Sup. ii. p. 53. pl. cxxi. 



THIS in 22 inches long, and four feet broad in extent of wing. 

 Bill black, with a blue tinge ; cere, and space round the eye blue ; 

 irides brown ; plumage in general fine rust-colour, spotted and 

 streaked all over with black, but marked on the head and neck with 

 fine lines of the same ; wings and tail brown, with blackish or dusky 

 bars ; the tail very long, marked with eight or nine curved black 

 bars, the wings reaching to two-thirds of its length ; legs blue ; 

 claws long, black, and sharp. 



Inhabits New-Holland, but is probably scarce, for at the time 

 this description was taken, only one had been met with, nailed to the 

 side of a settler's hut ; it is said to fly with incredible swiftness. 



Among the drawings of Mr. Francillon, is one from New- 

 Holland, with similar plumage, said to be 24 in. long; at first sight 

 appears the same, but the bill has a more conspicuous notch on the 

 upper mandible, and the tail not half the length of the other, 

 although barred across in the same manner ; legs pale. 



I suspect this last bird to have been figured from one in which 

 the tail was mutilated, unless the two sexes of the same species 

 should so essentially dilFer in that particular. 



