188 LEVANT SPARROW-HAWK. 



By glancing over tliese figures it will be observed 

 that tlie Levant Sparrow-Hawk is in some respects 

 quite as large, if not larger than our own Sparrow- 

 Hawk, but that in length of tarsus and middle toe it 

 is constantly smaller; and this constitutes the great 

 difference between A. nisus and that series of African 

 and Asiatic species of which the subject of the present 

 notice is the largest bird. But the measurements, 

 while valuable specific marks, will not alone constitute 

 species. There is, however, a marked difference be- 

 tween the Levant Sparrow-Hawk and any of those 

 mentioned in the above table. 



In addition then to the measurements, the male 

 adult Levant Sparrow-Hawk differs from that of A. 

 nisus. 1. — In the darker upper plumage. 2. — In the 

 closer barring of the under plumage. 3. — In the under 

 wing coverts being lighter rufous, and less barred, and 

 by the deep black unicolorous primaries beneath, those 

 of A. nisus being barred to the end. 4. — By the two 

 first under tail feathers being unicolorous grey, while 

 those of 7iisus are strongly barred. 5. — By the primaries 

 being black brown and unicolorous above, while those 

 of nisus are lighter, and -distinctly barred. 6.— The 

 cheeks of the Levant Sparrow-Hawk are slight grey, 

 while those of nisus are rufous. 



From the female of F. gurneyi that of A. nisus 

 differs principally in the general character of the under 

 plumage, which is rufous brown and white, not black 

 and white; the bars on the chest and body are broader, 

 and on the thighs they become almost as rufous as 

 the bars on the male. 



From the yovmg of F. gurneyi those of A. nisus 

 differ most markedly in the deep light brown borders 

 of the primaries and upper tail feathers, which are 



