_Astur_, LACÉP. 1800. (Type, _Falco palumbarius_, LINN.)
_Dædalion_, SAVIG. 1809. _Dædalium_, AGASS.
_Sparvius_, VIEILL. 1816.
_Aster_, SWAINS. 1837.
_Leucospiza_, KAUP, 1844. (Type, _Falco novæ-hollandiæ_, GMEL.)
The characters of this subgenus have been sufficiently indicated on
page 221, so that it is unnecessary to repeat them here. The species of
_Astur_ are far less numerous than those of _Nisus_, only about six,
including geographical races, being known. They are found in nearly all
parts of the world, except tropical America, the Sandwich Islands, and
the East Indies.
[Illustration:
=58982=, ♀. ½
=58982=, ♀. ½
_Astur atricapillus._]
Species and Races.
=A. palumbarius.= Wing, 12.00–14.50; tail, 9.50–12.75; culmen,
.80–1.00; tarsus, 2.70–3.15; middle toe, 1.70–2.20. Fourth quill
longest; first shortest. _Adult._ Above, continuously uniform
slate-color, or brown; the tail with several more or less distinct
broad bands of darker, and narrowly tipped with white. Beneath white,
with transverse lines or bars of the same color as the upper surface.
Top of the head blackish; a streaked whitish superciliary stripe.
_Young._ Above much variegated with brown and pale ochraceous; bands
on the tail more sharply defined. Beneath pale ochraceous, with
longitudinal stripes of dark brown.
_Adult._ Above umber-brown, without conspicuously darker
shaft-streaks; top of the head dull dusky. Markings on the lower
parts in the form of sharply defined, broad, detached, crescentic
bars, and of an umber tint; throat barred. Tail with five broad,
well-defined bands of blackish. Wing, 12.25–14.25; tail, 9.40–11.10;
culmen, .80–.95; tarsus, 2.80–3.15; middle toe, 1.80–2.20. _Hab._
Northern portions of the Old World …
var. _palumbarius_.[83]
_Adult._ Above bluish slate-color, with conspicuous darker
shaft-streaks; top of the head deep black; markings on the lower
parts in the form of irregularly defined, narrow, zigzag bars, or
fine lines, of a bluish-slaty tint; throat not barred. Tail with
only about four indistinct bands of blackish. Wing, 12.00–14.70;
tail, 9.50–12.75; culmen, .80–1.00; tarsus, 2.70–3.20; middle toe,
1.70–2.00. _Hab._ Northern portions of North America …
var. _atricapillus_.
Astur palumbarius, var. atricapillus (WILS.).