26 
YERTEBRATA. 
with the same attentions from this marauder, whose daily excursions are entirely regulated by 
the movements of the flocks on whose unfortunate members it fattens. The bird which Audu- 
bon called the Little Corporal, in honor of Napoleon, was an old male of this species. 
The Merlin — EmeriUon of the French — F. u3S salon, is a small species of hawk, nine or ten 
inches long, of an ashy-blue above, below white striped with brown. It builds on lofty trees, and lays 
five or six eggs This bird, on account of its docility, was formerly used for hawking at larks, quails, 
partridges, and pigeons. Its skill and courage in pursuing them excited great admiration among 
the sportsmen. It inhabits the south of Europe in winter and the north in summer. (See page 22.) 
The Kestrel, called Windhover in England — the Grecerelle of the French ; F. tinnunculus of 
Linnseus — is about a foot in length ; its color is a reddish-brown above, marked with angular 
black spots ; beneath it is reddish, with longitudinal rays on the breast. It is widely spread over 
Europe, and was formerly used in falconry. It lives on mice, lizards, insects, and small birds. It 
makes its nest in the trees of forests, and also sometimes in old towers and walls. It lays five or 
six eggs, and is an abundant breeder. (See page 23.) 
THE LS8SEB KESTREL. 
The Lesser Kestrel — the Crecerine of the French — F. cenchris, is eleven and a half inches long, 
and resembles the preceding in color. It inhabits the coasts of the Mediterranean in winter, and mi- 
grates northward in summer. It makes its nests in rocks and old castles, and lays three or four eggs. 
There are a number of other species, variously arranged by difl'erent naturalists, but which we 
shall include in this genus, among which are the Black Falcon, F. suhniger ; the Sultan Fal- 
con, F. peregrinat07\ much used for falconry in India ; the Salakoo Falcon, F. peregrinoides ; 
the Double-bearded ^a-lgos, F. cervialis ; the Jug ger Falcon, M^^er ; the Severe Fal- 
con, F. severus; the Red-necked Falcon, F. rufigularis; the Paramatta Fai^cq-^, F.frontatus; 
the Uniform Falcon, F. concolor ; the Cream-bellied Falcon, F. herigora; the New Zealand 
Falcon, i*^. A^otfce Zealandice; the Rock Falcon, F. rupicoloides ; the Spotted Falcon, F.punc- 
tatus; the Nankin Hawk, F. cenchroides ; and the Cinnamon Falcon, F. cinnamomeus. 
Genus ELANUS : Elanus. — The birds of this genus resemble the falcons in the sharpness of 
their wings and some other respects. The Black-shouldered Hawk or White-tailed Hawk, 
E. leucurus — the Falco dispar of Temminck — is an abundant species in the Southern and South- 
western States : the upper parts are of a fine ash-color ; the lesser wing-coverts glossy black ; 
length of the female sixteen to seventeen inches. 
The Black-winged Falcon or Black-winged Swallow-Hawk, E. melanopterus, found in 
Africa, India, and Australia, is smaller than the preceding, with which it has been confounded. 
Its plumage is soft and silky, and ash-colored above ; the tail is slightly forked. It lives chiefly 
on insects, which it captures on the wing. Other species are the Axillary Falcon, E. axil- 
laris^ and the Letter-winged Falcon, E, scriptus. 
Genus PANDION : Pandion, comprises three or four species : in these the bill is short and 
curved from the base ; the wings are very long ; tarsi short, thick, and strong, and covered with 
small circular scales ; the claws are sharp and curved ; the tail of moderate length. 
