We propose a method that uses near-infrared plus uvby photometry to identify potentially extensive circumstellar dusty environments around F and A stars. The method has been applied to a sample of ∼900 metal-rich reddened F stars with 2 Micron All Sky Survey and uvby data, suggesting the presence of circumstellar dust emitting in the near-infrared for ∼70 stars. The diagram suggests that most, if not all, are likely pre-main-sequence log T -M e V (PMS) stars. They seem to be a continuation of the class of Herbig Ae/Be PMS stars in the spectral type F. Their number drops sharply downward of (spectral types later than ∼F5), which may provide new log T ∼ 3.84 e clues to the PMS evolution of 1-2 M , stars. We present a list of 21 of the most conspicuous candidate stars with circumstellar dust. About half of them are associated with the extended star-forming region around r Ophiuchi. The brightest of these 21 stars, with , turn out to be IRAS sources, suggesting the presence of heated V Շ 7.5 dust emitting in the far-infrared. Also in this list, HD 81270 is reported as a very unusual star moving away from the Galactic plane at a projected speed of 70 km s Ϫ1 .