THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Adult female. Similar to the adult male but larger. Wing 387 ; culmen 22 ; tarsus 51. 
Collected on Alexandria, Northern Territory, on the 30th of April, 1906. 
Very old birds have no markings on the inner webs of the primaries. 
Inimature have the throat and ear-coverts whiter, the tail and inner webs of the 
primaries with white bars ; under tail-coverts, some of the under wing-coverts 
and the breast-feathers have large white spots. The feathers of the head, mantle 
and back have white bases. 
Nest. The abandoned nest of another species ; or built of sticks, as is usual with birds 
of prey. 
Eggs. Clutch, three. Ground-colour buff, closely sprinkled with spots of reddish-brown 
and a few of purplish-brown. Axis 53-56 mm. ; diameter 38-41. 
Breeding-season. September to December. 
Although described by G. R. Gray from a specimen from unknown locality, 
this fine Falcon was soon recognised as Australian and figured by Gould from 
South Australia. In 1865 Gould wrote : “ During the long interval that 
has elapsed since I first figured this bird in the folio edition of the ‘ Birds of 
Australia,’ no additional information has been obtained respecting this rare 
species of Falcon. Nothing is known of its habits, and as yet I have only seen 
four examples, all of which were killed in South Australia. It was observed 
by Captain Sturt during his expedition into the interior of that country, and 
he has favoured me with a note in which he says: ‘ This well-shaped and rapid 
bird was killed at the Depot, where both male and female were procured ; 
but it was by no means common, only two others having been seen.’ ” 
Since then, however, it has been more commonly observed, but it is still 
one of the rarest Falcons, and with it must always be named Mr. K. H. 
Bennett, who contributed to the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New 
South Wales, Vol. X., pp. 162-7, 1885, a long and interesting account of its 
habits, which must be here quoted from Austr. Mus. Spec. Cat., No. 1 , p. 270 : 
“ The first thing that strikes an observer with regard to Falco subniger 
is its extraordinary swift flight, almost equalling that of Cypselus, and the 
next its powers of endurance on the wing. It is tolerably numerous at certain 
times, for here they are undoubtedly migratory, arriving about the beginning 
of September in company with Turnix velox, on which it preys, and departing 
about February. Quail, and the young of birds frequenting the plains such as 
Anthus australis, Cinclorhamphus cruralis, and Ephthianura aurifrons constitute 
its chief prey, for great as are the Black Falcon’s powers of flight, he has 
more than a match in the adults of any of the above-mentioned birds, for 
they dodge and turn so quickly that the Falcon has no chance with them. 
On one occasion a ‘ Ground Lark ’ {Anthus australis) defied the united efforts 
of no less than three Falcons, the ‘ Lark ’ simply avoiding by a quick turn 
each Falcon’s strike, but finally it fell a victim completely tired out. One 
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