Genus IERACIDEA, Gould. 



CHARACTERES GENERICI. 



Rostrum, ut in genere Falco dicto ; alis attamen minus rigidis, remige tertio longissimo ; tarsis longio- 

 ribus, gracilioribus, et antice squamis hexagonalibus tectis ; digitis gracilioribus, digito postico bre- 

 viore, unguibus minus robustis. 



Bill and general form as in Falco, but the wings are less powerful, and the third quill-feather is the 

 longest ; the tarsi also are more elongated, slender, and covered anteriorly with hexagonal scales ; toes 

 more feeble, the hind toe shorter, and the claws less robust. 



IERACIDEA BERIGORA. 



lerac. vertice ferruginoso-fusco, plumis lined angustd nigra longitudinaliter notatis ; strigd nigra a 

 mandibuld inferiore per genas excurrente ; plumis auricularibus fuscis ; abdomine medio, crissoque 

 pallide cervinis, singulis plumis lined centrali fused anguste notatis ; lateribus ferruginoso-fuscis, 

 guttis Jlavescenti-albis notatis ; femoribus extus fuscis, ferrugineo transversim fasciatis ; dorso 

 medio rufescenti-fusco, scapularibus, tectricibusque alarum fuscis, ferrugineo fasciatis ; caudd fusco, 

 ferrugineoque fasciatd ; primariis nigrescenti- fuscis, pogoniis internis notis ovalibus cervinis late 

 fasciatis; rostro plumbeo ; pedibus obscure plumbeis. 



Long. tot. 18 unc. ; rostri, 1J; aim, 13^; cauda, 8; tarsi, 3. 



Crown of the head ferruginous brown, with a fine black line down the centre of each feather ; a 

 streak of black from the base of the lower mandible down each side of the cheek ; ear-coverts brown ; 

 throat, chest, centre of the abdomen, and under tail-coverts pale buff, with a fine line of brown down 

 each side of the shaft of every feather ; flanks ferruginous, each feather crossed with spots of buff'y 

 white ; thighs dark brown, crossed like the flanks but with redder spots ; centre of the back reddish 

 brown ; scapularies and wing-coverts brown, crossed with conspicuous bars and spots of ferruginous ; 

 tail brown, crossed with ferruginous bars, and tipped with light brown ; primaries blackish brown, 

 margined on their inner webs with large oval-shaped spots of buff ; bill bluish horn colour ; feet lead 

 colour. 



Syn. Falco Berigora, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 184. 



Remark. This bird in its progress from youth to maturity is subject to very marked changes of 

 plumage : the colouring described above appears to be that of an adult ; but I possess other indivi- 

 duals apparently mature, in which the whole of the upper and under surface, except the throat, is of 

 an almost uniform deep chocolate brown, with only an indication of the ferruginous bars and spots on 

 the back, while the wings and tail are the same as in the adult ; the thighs internally however are 

 always buff. 



Habitat. Australia generally. 



