Folia Historico-Naturalia Musei Matraensis - A Mátra Múzeum Természetrajzi Közleményei 21. (1996)

the Kestrels is more obtuse-angled than in the true Falcons, the most obtuse in the Kestrel and Lesser Kestrel (the front of the sternum is more blunt, flattened in dorsal view) (Plate ХХХГХ, Figures 6-9). The length of the costal section of margo costalis in the Kestrel is similar to the Merlin, in the Red-footed Falcon to the Hobby, that is in the Kestrel the last (caudally positioned) processus costalis is placed at the middle of the lateral edge of the sternum, in the Red-footed Falcon more towards the front. The fenestra sterni in the Red-footed Falcon and Lesser Kestrel open towards the caudal edge (incisura sterni), either on one or on both sides is missing. In the rest of the species such anomalities occur very rarely. Summary Falco subbuteo: - the sternum is long, - the carina sterni is long, and especially high, - the apex carinae reaches till the line of rostrum sterni, the apex of carina sterni is pointed, acute angled, (lateral view), - the margo cranialis carinae is usually arched along all its length (lateral view), - the spina externa is thick and curved. Falco columbarius. - the carina sterni is long, high, - the apex carinae reaches till the line of rostrum sterni, the apex of carina sterni is pointed, acute angled, (lateral view), - the ventral half of margo cranialis carinae is straight (lateral view), - the spina externa is thin and straight. Falco eleonorae: - the sternum is large, - the carina sterni is long, high, - the apex carinae reaches till the line of rostrum sterni, the apex of carina sterni is pointed (lateral view), - the ventral part of the margo cranialis carinae is straight (lateral view). Falco tinnunculus: - the sternum and the carina sterni is short, - the apex carinae does not reach at all till the line of rostrum sterni, the apex of carina sterni is not pointed, or at most is right angled (lateral view), - the ventral part of the margo cranialis carinae is straight (lateral view), - the spina interna is short. Falco vespertinus. - the sternum and the carina sterni is moderately long, - the apex carinae does usually reach till the line of rostrum sterni or gets near to it, the apex of carina sterni is pointed, or at most is right angled (lateral view), - the margo ventralis carinae is arched strongly, while the margo cranialis carinae more or less. - the fenestra sterni is frequently open in caudal direction (incisura sterni), or completely missing. Falco naumanni: - the sternum is small and the carina sterni is short, 38