- Falco macropus, Swains. Anim. in Menag., p. 341.
- —— melanogenys, Kaup, Isis, 1847, p. 75.
India, Europe, and North America on the one hand, and Cape Horn, the Cape of Good Hope and Australia on the other, are all inhabited by Falcons so nearly allied to each other as to favour the opinion that they are merely varieties of each other; but I agree with the Prince of Canino and Professor Kaup in considering them to be distinct and representatives of each other in the respective countries they inhabit. It will doubtless be found that the habits and economy of the whole are as similar as they are in outward appearance; and that the Falco melanogenys is as destructive to the ducks of the interior of Australia as the Falco Anatum is in North America.
| 9. Falco subniger, Gray | Vol. I. Pl. [9]. |
A powerful Falcon differing somewhat in structure from the F. hypoleucus and F. melanogenys. Nothing is known of its habits, and as yet I have only seen four examples, all of which were procured in the interior of South Australia.
| 10. Falco frontatus, Gould | Vol. I. Pl. [10]. |
- Falco lunulatus, Lath. Ind. Orn. Suppl., p. xiii.?
- Sparvius lunulatus, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. x. p. 324.
- Falco longipennis, Swains. Anim. in Menag., p. 341.?
- —— subbuteo, Brehm, Isis, 1845, p. 347.?
- —— (Hypotriorchis) frontatus, Kaup, Isis, 1847, p. 65.
A little Falcon with the habits of the Hobby and Merlin combined; found in all parts of Australia to the southward of the 25th degree of S. lat.; among other birds it preys upon the Quails and the little Partridges belonging to the genus Synoïcus.
Genus Ieracidea, Gould.
Generic characters.
Bill and general form of Falco, but the wings less powerful, and the third quill-feather the longest; tarsi more elongated, slender, and covered anteriorly with hexagonal scales; toes more feeble, the hind-toe shorter, and the claws less robust.