144 CHANTING FALCON. 



the nest of its faithful mate, which it never quits 

 throughout the whole year; and, like the nightin- 

 gale of Europe, is heard during the early dawn of 

 day, or in the dusk of the evening, and not unfre- 

 quently during the greatest part of the night. 

 Monsieur Sonnini however very properly observes 

 that by this description we must not suppose its 

 song to resemble that of the nightingale; Monsieur 

 Levaillant meaning only, that the bird, like the 

 nightingale, exerts its voice during the silence of 

 the night; and that its incessantly repeated cries 

 may be considered as in some degree clearer or 

 more musical than those of its raucous and shriek- 

 ing congeners. The size of this species is that 

 of a common Falcon, and its colour a pearly grey, 

 deeper or more inclining to brown on the top of 

 the head and back: the under parts are crossed 

 or undulated by numerous blueish brown lines or 

 bars : the larger wing-feathers are black, and the 

 tail, which is strongly cuneated, is of a dusky 

 colour, crossed, except on the two middle feathers, 

 by several broad white bars: the bill is black with 

 an orange-coloured cere; the legs orange- coloured, 

 and longer than in most of the Falcon tribe. The 

 female is a third larger than the male. This species 

 commits great havoc among the smaller kind of 

 game, as partridges, quails, &c. It even attacks 

 hares, and will feed, like the Buzzard, on moles, 

 rats, &c. It is an inhabitant of the interior of 

 Caffraria, where it builds in woods, laying four 

 white round eggs. 



