_? Accipiter falco maculatus_, Briss. Orn. I, 329. _? Falco nævius_,
GMEL. S. N. 1789, 271. _Falco communis_ ζ, and _F. communis_ η, LATH.
Ind. Orn. p. 31. _Falco communis_, COUES, Key, 1872, 213, f. 141.
_Falco peregrinus_, ORD. Wils. Am. Orn. 1808, pl. lxvi.—SAB. L. Trans.
XII, 529.—RICH. Parry’s 2d Voy. App. 342.—IB. F. B. A. II, 1831,
23.—BONAP. N. Y. Lyc. II, 27.—IB. Isis, 1832, 1136; Consp. 1850, 23,
No. 4.—KING, Voy. Beag. I, 1839, 532.—JAMES. Wils. Am. Orn. 677,
Synop. 1852, 683.—WEDDERB. Jard. Contr. to Orn. 1849, 81.—WOODH.
Sitgr. Zuñi, 1853, 60.—GIRAUD, B. Long Island, 1844, 14.—PEALE, U. S.
Ex. Ex. 1848, 66.—GRAY, List B. Brit. Mus. 1841, 51. _Falco anatum_,
BONAP. Eur. & N. Am. B. 1838, 4.—IB. Rev. Zoöl. 1850, 484.—BRIDG.
Proc. Zoöl. Soc. pl. xi, 109.—IB. Ann. N. H. XIII, 499.—GOSSE, B. Jam.
1847, 16.—CASS. B. Cal. & Tex. 1854, 86.—IB. Birds N. Am. 1858, 7.—DE
KAY, Zoöl. N. Y. II, 13, pl. iii, f. 8.—NUTT. Man. 1833, 53.—PEAB. B.
Mass. 1841, 83.—STRICKL. Orn. Syn. I, 1855, 83.—BLAKIST. Ibis, III,
1861, 315.—MARCH, Pr. Ac. N. S. 1863, 304. _Falco nigriceps_, CASS.
B. Cal. & Tex. I, 1853, 87.—IB. Birds N. Am. 1858, 8.—STRICKL. Orn.
Syn. I, 85.—COOP. & SUCKL. P. R. R. Rep’t, VII, ii, 1860, 142.—GRAY,
Hand List, I, 1869, 19, No. 166.—SHARPE, Ann. & Mag. N. H. _Falco
orientalis_, (GM.) GRAY, Hand List, I, 1869, 19, No. 165 (in part). _?
Falco cassini_, SHARPE, Ann. & Mag. N. H.
SP. CHAR. _Adult_ (♂, 43,134, Fort Resolution, Brit. N. Am., June;
J. Lockhart). Upper parts dark bluish-plumbeous, approaching black
anteriorly, but on rump and upper tail-coverts becoming fine bluish
plumbeous-ash. On the head and neck the continuous plumbeous-black
covers all the former except the chin and throat, and the back portion
of the latter; an invasion or indentation of the white of lower parts
up behind the ear-coverts separating that of the cheeks from the
posterior black, throwing the former into a prominent angular patch;
forehead and lores grayish. All the feathers above (posterior to the
nape) with transverse bars of plumbeous-black, these most sharply
defined posteriorly, where the plumbeous is lightest. Tail black, more
plumbeous basally, very faintly paler at the tip, and showing ten
or eleven transverse narrow bands of plumbeous, these most distinct
anteriorly; the bars are clearest on inner webs. Alula, primary and
secondary coverts, secondaries and primaries, uniform plumbeous-black,
narrowly whitish on terminal margin, most observable on secondaries and
inner primaries. Lower parts white, tinged with delicate cream-color,
this deepest on the abdomen; sides and tibiæ tinged with bluish.
Chin, throat, and jugulum immaculate; the breast, however, with faint
longitudinal shaft-streaks of black; sides, flanks, and tibiæ distinctly
barred transversely with black, about four bars being on each feather;
on the lower tail-coverts they are narrower and more distant; on
the abdomen the markings are in the form of circular spots; anal
region barred transversely. Lining of the wing (including all the
under coverts) white tinged with blue, and barred like the sides;
under surface of primaries slaty, with elliptical spots or bars of
creamy-white on inner webs, twelve on the longest. Wing-formula, 2–1–3.
Wing, 12.25; tail, 6.00; tarsus, 1.60; middle toe, 1.85; outer, 1.40;
inner, 1.20; posterior, .80; culmen, .80.
♀ (13,077, Liberty Co., Georgia; Professor J. L. Leconte). Like the
male, but ochraceous tinge beneath deeper; no ashy wash; bands on
the tail more sharply defined, about ten dark ones being indicated;
outer surface of primaries and secondaries with bands apparent;
tail distinctly tipped with ochraceous-white. Inner web of longest
primary with thirteen, more reddish, transverse spots. White of neck
extending obliquely upward and forward toward the eye, giving the
black cheek-patch more prominence. Markings beneath as in the male.
Wing-formula the same. Wing, 14.50; tail, 7.00; tarsus, 1.95; middle
toe, 2.10; culmen, .95.
_Juv._ (♂, 53,193, Truckee River, Nevada, July 24, 1867; R. Ridgway:
first plumage). Above plumbeous-black, tail more slaty. Every feather
broadly bordered terminally with dull cinnamon; these crescentic bars
becoming gradually broader posteriorly, narrower and more obsolete on
the head above. Tail distinctly tipped with pale cinnamon, the inner
webs of feathers with obsolete transverse spots of the same, these
touching neither the edge nor the shaft; scarcely apparent indications
of corresponding spots on outer webs. Region round the eye, and broad
“mustache” across the cheeks, pure black, the latter more conspicuous
than in the older stages, being cut off posteriorly by the extension of
the cream-color of the neck nearly to the eye. A broad stripe of pale
ochraceous running from above the ear-coverts back to the occiput, where
the two of opposite sides nearly meet. Lower parts purplish cream-color,
or rosy ochraceous-white, deepest posteriorly; jugulum, breast, sides,
flanks, and tibiæ with longitudinal stripes of plumbeous-black, these
broadest on flanks and abdomen, and somewhat sagittate on the tibiæ;
lower tail-coverts with distant transverse bars. Lining of the wing
like the sides, but the markings more transverse; inner web of longest
primary with nine transverse purplish-ochre spots. Wing-formula, 2–1, 3.
Wing, 12.50; tail, 7.00. Length, 16.50; expanse, 39.25. Weight, 1½ lbs.
Basal half of bill pale bluish-white, cere rather darker; terminal half
(rather abruptly) slate-color, the tip deepening into black; iris very
dark vivid vandyke-brown; naked orbital space pale bluish-white, with a
slight greenish tint; tarsi and toes lemon-yellow, with a slight green
cast; claws jet-black.
HAB. Entire continent of America, and neighboring islands.
Localities: Guatemala (SCL. Ibis I, 219); Veragua (SALV. P. Z. S. 1867,
158); Sta. Cruz (NEWTON, Ibis, I, 63); Trinidad (TAYLOR, Ibis, 1864,
80); Bahamas (BRYANT, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1859, VII); Cuba (CAB. Journ.
II, lxxxiii); (GUNDL. Repert. 1865, 225); Jamaica, (GOSSE, B. Jam.
16; MARCH, Pr. Ac. N. S. 1863, 304, et Mus. S. I.); Tierra del Fuego
(SHARPE, Ann. & Mag. N. H.; “_F. cassini_, SHARPE”).
The young plumage above described corresponds exactly with that of
young _peregrinus_ from Europe, a comparison of the specimen above
described with one of the same age from Germany (54,064, Schlüter Col.)
showing no differences that can be expressed. Many American specimens in
this plumage (as 19,397, Fort Simpson) show a wash of whitish over the
forehead and anterior part of the crown; having before us but the one
specimen, we cannot say whether or not this is ever seen in the European
bird. Specimens more advanced in season—perhaps in second year—are
colored as follows: The black above is more brownish, the feathers
margined with pale brown,—these margins broader, and approaching to
white, on the upper tail-coverts; the tail shows the ochraceous bars
only on inner webs. The supraoral stripe of the youngest plumage is also
quite apparent.
A still younger one from the same locality (No. 37,397) has the upper
plumage similar to the last, the pale edges to the feathers, however,
more distinct; tail with conspicuous spots. White beneath clearer, and
invading the dusky of the head above as far back as the middle of the
crown; the supraoral stripe is distinct, scarcely interrupted across the
nape.
In the adult plumage the principal variation is in the extent and
disposition of the bars beneath. In most individuals they are regularly
transverse only laterally and posteriorly, those on the belly being
somewhat broken into more irregular cordate spots, though always
transverse; in no American specimen, however, are they as continuously
transverse as in a male (No. 18,804) from Europe, which, however, in
this respect, we think, forms an exception to most European examples,
at least to those in the Smithsonian Collection. All variations in
the form, thickness, and continuity of the markings below, and in the
distinctness of the bars above, are individual.
Very old males (as 49,790, Fort Yukon; 27,188, Moose Factory (type of
Elliott’s figure of _F. peregrinus_, in Birds of America); and 42,997,
Spanishtown, Jamaica) lack almost entirely the reddish tinge beneath,
and have the lateral and posterior portions strongly tinged with blue;
the latter feature is especially noticeable in the specimen from
Jamaica, in which also the bars are almost utterly wanting medially.
Immature birds from this island also lack to a great degree the
ochraceous tinge, leaving the whitish everywhere purer.
A female adult European bird differs from the average of North American
examples in the conspicuous longitudinal streaks on the jugulum; but in
a male these are hardly more distinct than in 13,077, ♀, Liberty Co.,
Georgia; 11,983, “United States”; 35,456, Peel’s River; 35,449, ♀, and
35,445, ♀, Fort Yukon, Alaska; 35,452, La Pierre’s Hous., H. B. Ter.;
35,459 ♂, Fort Anderson; and 28,099 ♀, Hartford, Conn. In none of these,
however, are they so numerous and conspicuous as in a European female
from the Schlüter Collection, which, however, differs in these respects
only from North American specimens.
A somewhat melanistic individual (in second year? 32,735, Chicago,
Ill.; Robert Kennicott) differs as follows: Above continuously pure
black; upper tail-coverts and longer scapulars bordered terminally
with rusty-whitish. Tail distinctly tipped with white; the inner webs
of feathers with eight elliptical transverse bars of pale ochraceous,
and indications of corresponding spots of the same on outer webs,
forming as many inconspicuous bands. Beneath ochraceous-white; the neck,
breast, and abdomen thickly marked with broad longitudinal stripes
of clear black,—those on the jugulum cuneate, and on the breast and
abdomen broadly sagittate; the tibiæ with numerous cordate spots, and
sides marked more transversely; lower tail-coverts with narrow distant
transverse bars. On the chin and throat only, the whitish is immaculate,
on the other portions being somewhat exceeded in amount by the black.
Inner web of longest primary with seven transverse elliptical bars of
cream-color. Wing, 12.20; tail, 9.40.
Whether the North American and European Peregrine Falcons are or are not
distinct has been a question undecided up to the present day; almost
every ornithologist having his own peculiar views upon the relationship
of the different forms which have been from time to time characterized.
The most favorably received opinion, however, seems to be that there
are two species on the American continent, and that one of these, the
northern one, is identical with the European bird. Both these views
I hold to be entirely erroneous; for after examining and comparing
critically a series of more than one hundred specimens of these birds,
from every portion of America (except eastern South America), including
nearly all the West India Islands, as well as numbers of localities
throughout continental North and South America, I find that, with
the exception of the melanistic littoral race of the northwest coast
(var. _pealei_), they all fall under one race, which, though itself
exceedingly variable, yet possesses characters whereby it may always be
distinguished from the Peregrine of all portions of the Old World.
There is such a great amount of variability, in size, colors, and
markings, that the _F. nigriceps_, Cassin, must be entirely ignored
as being based upon specimens not distinguishable in any respect from
typical _anatum_. Judging from the characters assigned to the _F.
cassini_ by its describer (who evidently had a very small series of
American specimens at his command), the latter name must also most
probably fall into the list of synonymes of _anatum_.
Slight as are the characters which separate the Peregrines of the
New and Old World, i.e. the immaculate jugulum of the former and the
streaked one of the latter, they are yet sufficiently constant to
warrant their separation as geographical races of one species; along
with which the _F. melanogenys_, Gould (Australia), _F. minor_, Bonap.
(South Africa), _F. orientalis_, Gmel. (E. Asia), and _F. calidus_,
Lath. (Southern India and East Indies), must also rank as simple
geographical races of the same species. Whether the _F. calidus_ is
tenable, I am unable to state, for I have not seen it; but the others
appear to be all sufficiently differentiated. The _F. radama_, Verreaux
(Gray’s Hand List, p. 19, No. 170), Mr. Gurney writes me, is the young
female of var. _minor_. Whether the _F. peregrinator_, Sundevall (Gray’s
Hand List, No. 169), is another of the regional forms of _F. communis_,
or a distinct species, I am not able at present to say, not having
specimens accessible to me for examination.
Mr. Cassin’s type of “_nigriceps_” (13,856, ♂, July), from Chile, is
before me, and upon comparison with adult males from Arctic America
presents no tangible differences beyond its smaller size; the wing
is a little more than half an inch, and the middle toe less than the
eighth of an inch, shorter than in the smallest of the North American
series,—a discrepancy slight indeed, and of little value as the sole
specific character; the plumage being almost precisely similar to that
of the specimen selected for the type of the description at the head of
this article. In order to show the little consequence to be attached
to the small size of the individual just mentioned, I would state that
there is before me a young bird, received from the National Museum of
Chile, and obtained in the vicinity of Santiago, which is precisely
similar in plumage to the Nevada specimen described, and in size is even
considerably larger, though it is but just to say that it is a female;
the wing measures 13.25, instead of 12.50, and the middle toe, 2.00,
instead of 1.85. No. 37,336, Tres Marias Islands, Western Mexico,—a
young male in second year,—has the wing just the same length as in
the smallest North American example, while in plumage it is precisely
similar to 26,785, of the same age, from Jamaica. No. 4,367, from
Puget’s Sound, Washington Territory,—also a young male,—has the wing of
the same length as in the largest northern specimen, while the plumage
is as usual.
Two adult females from Connecticut (Nos. 28,099 and 32,507, Talcott Mt.)
are remarkable for their very deep colors, in which they differ from all
other North American examples which I have seen, and answer in every
particular to the description of _F. cassini_, Sharpe, above cited.
The upper surface is plumbeous-black, becoming deep black anteriorly,
the head without a single light feather in the black portions; the
plumbeous bars are distinct only on the rump, upper tail-coverts, and
tail, and are just perceptible on the secondaries. The lower parts are
of a very deep reddish-ochraceous, deepest on the breast and abdomen,
where it approaches a cinnamon tint,—the markings, however, as in other
examples. They measure, wing, 14.75; tail, 7.50; culmen, 1.05–1.15;
tarsus, 2.00; middle toe, 2.30. They were obtained from the nest, and
kept in confinement three years, when they were sacrificed to science.
The unusual size of the bill of these specimens (see measurements) is
undoubtedly due to the influence of confinement, or the result of a
modified mode of feeding. The specimens were presented by Dr. S. S.
Moses, of Hartford.
An adult male (No. 8,501) from Shoal-water Bay, Washington Territory,
is exactly of the size of the male described. In this specimen there
is not the slightest creamy tinge beneath, while the blue tinge on the
lower parts laterally and posteriorly is very strong. No. 52,818, an
adult female from Mazatlan, Western Mexico, has the wing three quarters
of an inch shorter than in the largest of four northern females,
and of the same length as in the smallest; there is nothing unusual
about its plumage, except that the bars beneath are sparse, and the
ochraceous tinge quite deep. No. 27,057, Fort Good Hope, H. B. T., is,
however, exactly similar, in these respects, and the wing is but half
an inch longer. In No. 47,588, ♂, from the Farallones Islands, near San
Francisco, California, the wing is the same length as in the average of
northern and eastern specimens, while the streaks on the jugulum are
nearly as conspicuous as in a male from Europe.
In conclusion, I would say that the sole distinguishing character
between the Peregrines from America and those from Europe, that can be
relied on, appears to be found in the markings on the breast in the
adult plumage; in all the specimens and figures of var. _communis_ that
I have seen, the breast has the longitudinal dashes very conspicuous;
while, as a general rule, in _anatum_ these markings are entirely
absent, though sometimes present, and occasionally nearly as distinct as
in European examples. Therefore, if this conspicuous streaking of the
breast is found in all European specimens, the American bird is entitled
to separation as a variety; but if the breast is ever immaculate in
European examples, then _anatum_ must sink into a pure synonyme of
_communis_. The var. _melanogenys_ is distinguished from both _communis_
and _anatum_ by the black auriculars, or by a greater amount of black
on the side of the neck, and by more numerous and narrower bars on
the under surface. In the former feature examples of _anatum_ from
the southern extremity of South America approach quite closely to the
Australian form, as might be expected from the relative geographical
position of the two regions. The var. _minor_ is merely the smaller
intertropical race of the Old World, perhaps better characterized
than the tropical American form named _F. nigriceps_ by Cassin, the
characters of which are so unimportant, and withal so inconstant, as to
forbid our recognizing it as a race of the same rank with the others.