108 
RTJFOUS-NECKEI) FALCON. 
The size of our bird exactly corresponds to that 
of the little American Falco gparverius , which it 
rivals in beauty of colouring. Commencing just 
above the eye (for the front is nearly white), 
the upper part of the head and Reck is of a rich 
rufous ; the feathers of the crown haring a narrow 
black stripe down the middle of each ; this rufous 
colour is separated from the ears by a narrow stripe 
of black, which takes a curve almost round the ear 
feathers, and nearly meets another black stripe, 
tinged with rufous, which commences at the an- 
terior comer of the eye, and then passes under it, 
like a moustache : round these stripes, and on the 
sides of the neck and breast, there is a delicate 
shade of rufous, which blends into the creamy white 
of the throat and breast. The whole of the remain- 
ing upper plumage is of a full dark cinereous, banded 
throughout witli distinct blackish bands nearly as 
broad as the spaces are between them. The tail 
has the same ground colour, with about nine narrow 
blackish bars and a very broad one, which is the 
last ; the extreme margins of the feathers having a 
narrow edging of white. The whole of the under 
plumage, from the breast to the tail-covers, is banded 
like the back, but upon a whitish ground. The 
cere and feet are bright yellow ; the bill, as usual, 
blueish, and the claws black. Tail rounded, one 
inch longer than the wings. Total length, 10 
inches ; wings, 7f 5 tarsus, to the sole of the foot, 
lijr ; middle toe below, 1 j 6 5 ; tail, 5i. 
