SIR ANDREW SMITH'S MISCELIANEOUS 
 ORNITH03JOGICAL PAPERS 
 
LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 DAVIS 
 
THE WILLUGHBY SOCIETY. 
 
 SIR ANDREW SMITH'S 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS 
 ORNITHOLOGICAL PAPERS. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 OSBERT SALVIN, M.A., F.U.S., ETC. 
 
 LONDON: MDCCCLXXX. 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 DAVIS 
 
LONDON: 
 PBINTKD BY HORACE COX, 10, WELLINGTON-STREET; STRAND, W.C. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 FEW papers are less accessible to ornithologists than those 
 published by the late Sir Andrew Smith prior to the 
 issue of his great work " Illustrations of the Zoology 
 of South Africa." The South African Quarterly 
 Journal*, wherein most of them appear, is a collection 
 of miscellaneous papers in octavo, issued in two series 
 by the South African Institution between the years 1830 
 and 1834. The first series contains five numbers, the 
 first four bearing the date 1830, and the fifth 1832. The 
 second series commenced in 1833 with one number 
 divided into three parts; three more numbers of three 
 parts each appeared in 1834 when the journal ceased. 
 Printed, and for the most part published as this 
 
 * The South African Quarterly Journal. No. I., From October 
 1829, to January 1830. Edited at the South African Institution. 
 Cape Town : Published by W. Bridekirk, Heeregracht : and by 
 J. M. Richardson, 23, Cornhill, London. 1830. Price, Three shillings. 
 
 No. II. From January to April, 1830. 
 
 No. III. From April to July, 1830. 
 
 No. IY. From July to September, 1830. 
 
 No. Y. October, 1831. Published by George Greig, Keizers- 
 gracht; 1832. 
 
 The South African Quarterly Journal. Second series. No. 1 . 
 October to December, 1833. Edited at the South African Institu. 
 tion, Published in monthly parts. Part i. (part ii., part iii.). Cape 
 Town: Printed and Published by George Greig, Keizersgracht, 1833. 
 
 No. 2. January to March, 1834, part i., 1834, part iii. (err. for 
 part ii.) part iii. Printed and published by George Greig, Heere. 
 gracht. 
 
 No. 3. April to June. Part i., part ii., part iii. 
 
 No. 4. July to September. Part i., part ii., part iii. 
 
iv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 journal was, at Cape Town, it has now become very 
 scarce, and few complete copies are preserved in libraries 
 at the present time. That from which this reprint has 
 been prepared is in the possession of Professor Newton, 
 and is the one referred to by him in The Ibis for 1868, 
 p. 502. 
 
 In the present volume we have reprinted the ornitho- 
 logical portion only of Sir A. Smith's papers, as they 
 alone immediately concern us. The South African 
 Quarterly Journal, however, contains many notes by him 
 on the Mammals of South Africa besides other subjects. 
 
 In 1834 Sir A. Smith undertook the superintendence 
 of an expedition for exploring Central Africa at the 
 instance of "The Cape of Good Hope Association for 
 Exploring Central Africa," and on his return published 
 a report of his journey.* 
 
 In an Appendix to this Report a number of mammals 
 and birds are described for the first time, and the matter 
 relating to the latter we reproduce here. 
 
 No less than 3379 " skins of new and rare birds " 
 were obtained during the expedition, and at a General 
 Meeting of the Members of the Association, held on the 
 19th March, 1836, Sir John Herschell in the chair, it 
 was resolved, amongst other things, that the rarer part 
 of the collections should not be disposed of by public 
 sale until they had been examined and described, and a 
 committee was appointed to carry out this resolution. 
 This committee resolved, on 23rd March, to reserve the 
 more valuable and interesting portions of the collections 
 for exhibition in Europe, and many of the specimens 
 were stuffed by a Mr. Verreaux of Cape Town " for that 
 purpose. 
 
 * Report of the Expedition for Exploring Central Africa, from 
 the Cape of Good Hope, June 23, 1834, under the superintendence 
 of Dr. A. Smith. Published for the subscribers only. Printed at 
 the Government Gazette Office, Grave Street, Cape Town. 1836. 
 
INTRODUCTION. V 
 
 This led to the formation of the " South African 
 Museum/' exhibited at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, 
 London, during the year 1837 and part of 1838, a 
 catalogue of which was published in the former year.* 
 
 Notes chiefly on the mammals, but also on a few of the 
 birds exhibited are given in this catalogue, and several 
 names without descriptions of the latter appear in it. 
 But the pamphlet is without scientific interest. Its 
 authorship is usually attributed to Sir A. Smith, but his 
 name does not appear in connection with it. 
 
 On the 6th June, 1838, and two following days this 
 collection was sold by auction in 559 lots and dispersed. 
 A sale catalogue is amongst the books presented by Mrs. 
 Strickland to the University of Cambridge.t 
 
 Of the specimens obtained by Sir A. Smith, a con- 
 siderable number found their way to the British Museum, 
 others came into the possession of the late P. J. Selby 
 and of H. E. Strickland, both of whose collections are 
 now at Cambridge; others, again, we believe, passed 
 into the hands of the late Sir W. Jardine. These skins 
 may be usually distinguished by their flat form and by a 
 brown paper label with a number on it attached to one 
 of the legs. 
 
 * A Catalogue of the South African Museum, now exhibiting in 
 the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, the property of a Society entitled 
 " The Cape of Good Hope Association for Exploring Central 
 Africa." This catalogue may be had at the Hall; or of Smith, 
 Elder, and Co., 65, Cornhill, 1837. Price one shilling. 
 
 f Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly. A Catalogue of the South African 
 Museum, the property of a Society, entitled " The Cape of Good 
 Hope Association for exploring Central Africa," which will be sold 
 by Auction, by Messrs. J. C. and S. Stevens, at the Egyptian Hall, 
 on Wednesday, the 6th day of June, 1838, and two following days, 
 at twelve for one o'clock, in pursuance of a resolution passed by the 
 above Society. May be viewed on Monday and Tuesday prior to the 
 sale and catalogues (Is. each, to admit a party) to be had at the 
 Hall, and of Messrs. J. C. and S. Stevens, 38, King-street, Covent 
 Garden. 
 
VI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Besides Sir A. Smith's papers from the South African 
 Quarterly Journal we have added the only other original 
 ornithological paper contained in it. This is by Jules 
 Verreaux, wherein three species of birds are described, 
 p. 66 of this reprint. 
 
 This volume is numbered in brackets consecutively at 
 the foot of each page, and the index at the end of the 
 volume refers to this number. Each article is headed 
 with the number of the journal in which it appeared, 
 and the number at the head of the page gives the 
 original pagination. 
 
 0. S. 
 
 Cambridge, September, 1880, 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 INTRODUCTION... ... ... ... ... ... iii-vi 
 
 EXTRACT FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY 
 
 JOURNAL, No. i., pp. 9-17 1-9 
 
 No. ii., pp. 105-120 11-26 
 
 No. in., pp. 225-241 27-43 
 
 No. iv., pp. 380-392 44-56 
 
 No. v., pp. 9-15 57-63 
 
 Second Series, No. 1, p. 48 64 
 
 No. 1, p. 80 (By J. 
 
 Verreaux) 66 
 
 No. 2, pp. 143-144 ... 67-68 
 
 No. 3, pp. 247-256 ... 69-76 
 
 No. 3, pp. 273-288 ... 77-92 
 
 No. 4, pp. 305-320 ... 93-108 
 EXTRACT FROM THE APPENDIX TO THE REPORT 
 OF THE EXPEDITION FOR EXPLORING CENTRAL 
 
 AFRICA, pp. 44-57 109-123 
 
 INDEX . . 125-127 
 
[FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL, 
 No. I., OCT. 1829 to JAN 1830.] 
 
 A Description of the Birds inhabiting the South of 
 Africa. By ANDREW SMITH, M.D. Member of the 
 Wernerian Natural History Society of Edinburgh; 
 Honorary Member of the Mineralogical Society of Jena ; 
 and Corresponding Member of the Zoological and Hor- 
 ticultural Societies of London. 
 
 FOR the botanist, South Africa has long formed a favorite 
 retreat, and has been one of the sources from whence he has 
 for years past been accustomed to gather many of the finest 
 and rarest productions of the vegetable kingdom. Fashion, 
 together with such decided liberality towards that the least 
 offensive of nature's departments, have tended hitherto to main- 
 tain the superiority so much in favor thereof, that the riches 
 of the other kingdoms have, in a great measure, been over- 
 looked. Indeed, were it not for the writings of the indefati- 
 gable and accurate Le Yaillant, the world would scarcely have 
 yet the means of ascertaining whether life existed there in 
 any other form than that in which it occurs in plants. The 
 revolutions which have lately taken place in the scientific 
 world, or, at least, in a part thereof, give us reason now to 
 hope that inquiry will be more divided and equalized, and that 
 every branch will receive that degree of consideration which 
 their common origin equally demands from those who are am- 
 bitious of understanding the general scheme of creation. 
 
 The naturalist who selects Southern Africa for the site of 
 his exertions, can scarcely err in the choice of a department, 
 as all are prolific in the extreme, and it is only by the observer 
 who is unacquainted with the characters of diversities, that 
 any thing like limitation or deficiency can be experienced. The 
 native quadrupeds already known amount to a very considera- 
 ble number, but are yet imperfectly described, particu- 
 larly the smaller species. Of such also there is scarcely 
 a part of the country that does not still contain nondescripts, 
 and we have only to observe where vegetable or animal pro- 
 ductions occur of a description different to those we have 
 found constituting the food of species already known, to ena- 
 ble us to extend discovery. Solitary changes appear incon- 
 sistent with the design of nature, so that whenever a novelty 
 is discovered it follows almost as a matter of course, that 
 others exist upon which the one or the other depends. Thus 
 a change in the character of vegetation is generally attended 
 with a change in the insect tribes, and a change of those 
 again with a corresponding one in the smaller quadrupeds or 
 birds. 
 
10 A Description of Birds 
 
 In the feathered race the variety is still more conspicuous, 
 and, taking Teinminck as a guide in estimating the number of 
 European birds, it will suffice to support our conclusion, 
 simply to state that within the British colony at the Cape of 
 Good Hope, there are to be found at least one hundred more 
 species of birds than in the whole of the quarter of the globe he 
 alludes to. The plumage of those in our domain cannot certainly 
 be held out as in general particularly splendid, yet at the 
 same time there are not wanting instances of great beauty ; 
 but if the diversity and adaptation of characters and instincts 
 in the various individuals be only considered, there will be 
 found sufficient to entice and engage attention without the 
 really less important and interesting commendation, that of 
 fine feathers. In the class of reptiles, here are the means of 
 making numerous additions to science ; not only as regards 
 the description of non-descript species, but also as to classi- 
 fication. The diversity of forms under which they occur, 
 and the peculiar characters and habitats which each variety 
 appears to maintain, furnish good hints for divisions ; and, 
 if such alone be regarded, they will enable the naturalist to 
 decide upon proper positions, without direct reference to for- 
 mation, though that will be found upon inquiry, to support 
 the conclusions deduced from such like observations. Hence 
 exist two methods of arranging the objects of animated nature, 
 and whether the one or the other, or both, be followed, the 
 conclusions of the accurate observer will, I am convinced, 
 be the same. 
 
 Of insects there are a very great variety, and the 
 principal portion of them is marked by much beauty of color- 
 ing, as well as by numerous interesting characters. From 
 the huge elephant to the smallest flower, all here furnish the 
 entomologist with specimens, and there is scarcely an object 
 upon which he can cast his eye, or to which he can direct his 
 research, that will not supply him with the means of increas- 
 ing his collection. Besides this extreme multiformity in the 
 land productions, the ocean is not less prolific, and to survey 
 the variety of fishes and other marine productions which present 
 themselves in our seas and about our shores, is almost enough 
 to petrify exertion, and generate a belief of the impossibility of 
 ever unravelling all the mysteries of creation. Let us, however, 
 take spirit and console ourselves in knowing that if we do but 
 little, that little will assist in rendering the labour of our 
 successors less difficult, and will concur towards illustrating 
 the beauty and wisdom, connection and dependence, which a 
 thorough knowledge of the animal kingdom will doubtless 
 one day display. The results, upon such being attained, will 
 prove the utility of the study, and will doubtless dispense 
 knowledge and benefits to society of which we cannot at pre- 
 
 [2] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 11 
 
 sent even form the slightest conception. The study of nature, as 
 a popular author* remarks , even when viewed apart from science, 
 " is one of the most pleasing occupations that can engage the 
 attention of reasonable beings. The naturalist reflects upon 
 hidden things, investigates by comparison, and testifies by 
 experience. Perhaps none of the amusements of human life 
 are more satisfactory than the investigation and survey of the 
 workings and ways of Providence in this created world of 
 wonders, filled with his never absent power. The study of 
 nature occupies and elevates the mind, is inexhaustible in 
 supply, and, while it furnishes meditation for the closet of 
 the studious, gives to the reflections of moralizing ramblers 
 admiration and delight, and is an engaging companion that 
 will communicate an interest to every rural walk." Such 
 then entitles the birds of South Africa as a portion of the 
 grand system to a share of our consideration, and to them I 
 shall now proceed. 
 
 Ordo I. RAPTORES. III. 
 Fam. 
 
 Caput collum qneplus minusve nnda ; rostrum pro&cipue forte, 
 adapicem aduncum base lati cerigerum glabrum aut pilorum, 
 simplex aut carunculatum, nares later ales in cer ornate positce, 
 ovales, interdum, elongates, plerumque apertce ; pedes nudce ; 
 tarsi reticulati. Digiti externi membrano connexi. Ungues 
 validi subincurvi vix retractiles. 
 
 Head and neck more or less divested of feathers ; bill very 
 strong, hooked at the point, and with a broad cere at the 
 base, which is either bald or hairy, simple or carunculated ; 
 nostrils lateral, situated in the cere, sometimes elongated, for 
 the most part open ; feet naked ; tarsi reticulated ; outer toes 
 connected by membrane ; claws strong, slightly curved, and 
 scarcely retractile. 
 
 Genus. VULTUR, Auct. 
 
 Caput collum que implumes ; 
 rostrum basi rectum, supra 
 convexum, haud carunculatum. 
 
 Nares transversce, basales ; 
 pedes fortes. 
 
 Head and neck naked ; beak 
 straight at the base ; convex 
 above and without caruncles. 
 Nostrils transverse and basal ; 
 feet strong. 
 
 1. VULTUR FULVUS. White Assvogel of the Colonists. 
 
 Vultur fulvus Gmel. Syst. 1, p. 249, sp. 11. Vultur Leuco- 
 cephalus Meyer Tasschenb Deut. v. 1, p. 7. Vultur percnop- 
 tejrtis Daud. Ois, v. 2, p. 13, sp. 7. V. trencalos, Bech. 
 Naturg Deut. v. 2, p. 479, sp. 2. Le Perenoptere Buff. Ois, 
 
 * The Journal of a Naturalist, page 51. 
 
 p. 2 [3] 
 
12 A Description of the Birds 
 
 v. I, p. 14,9, pi enL. 426. Le Griffon Buff. Ois, v. I, p. 151, 
 tab. 5. Savigny Syst. d. Ois d'Eg. p. 11. Vultur Kolbii 
 Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp. vol. 2, p. 1. Le Chassefiente Le Vaill. 
 Ois d'Afriq. vol. 1, pi 10. 
 
 F. griseus sen albus, capute nuchaque setis subalbidis tectis ; 
 parte inferiore cervices nuda, remigibis primioribus nigris, secun- 
 dariis prcecipue subgriseiis; rectricibus nigris griseo umbratis, 
 rostro, pedibus que lividis ; unguibus nigris ; oculis subrutilis. 
 
 Head and nape covered with dirty short whitish hairs, or 
 bristles ; lower part of cervix bare, and of a bluish colour ; 
 lower part of throat, and middle of breast, covered with 
 short bristly grayish brown feathers ; rest of throat, sides of 
 neck, and upper part of cervix, with fine whitish down, and 
 bristles resembling those of the head. Skin, as seen through 
 these coverings, between livid blue and purple ; lower part of 
 neck behind with a frizzy ruff of short white feathers ; plumage 
 of upper and under parts white, or a pale blossom color ; pri- 
 mary quill feathers black ; secondaries grayish, shaded with 
 black towards their vanes ; tail rounded, and composed of 
 fourteen black feathers, tinted with gray. Bill, legs, and 
 toes, livid blue, with shades of dirty green ; claws black ; 
 eyes light yellowish red ; length from three feet, to three feet 
 six inches ; breadth from tip to tip of wings, about eight feet. 
 The feathers of the back, shoulders, breast, belly and legs, 
 have their tips rounded or semicircular. The male and fe- 
 male are of the same colour, and the latter considerably 
 exceeds the former in size. 
 
 Young. During the first year the prevailing color is dark 
 brown, variegated by narrow longitudinal streaks of light 
 reddish yellow or pale fulvous, one along the centre of each 
 feather ; the head is covered with a dusky white down, as is 
 likewise the upper part of the cervix and sides of the neck ; 
 the throat and centre of the breast are dark brown ; the pri- 
 mary and secondary quills, together with the tail, are brown- 
 ish black ; the bill and legs are blackish ; the eyes are dark 
 brown, and the skin of the head is a dirty sulphur yellow. 
 The ruff on the back of the neck is distinctly marked, and 
 composed of long, narrow, pointed, soft, and silky brown 
 feathers, many of which are re-curved towards the head. 
 After the first moulting, the plumage, which is that of the 
 second year, is considerably lighter in color, and commonly 
 the centres of all the feathers, but particularly of the breast 
 and belly are much less dark than the other parts thereof. 
 From this stage each successive annual change is marked 
 by a diminution of the depth of the color ; yet, nevertheless, 
 t requires several years to pass from the tint of the first 
 feathers to that of the faint issabella hue, which announ- 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 13 
 
 ces the approach of maturity. As age advances, the front, and 
 from that the head, become covered with hair, and about the 
 time when the white feathers begin to make their appearance, 
 the last named part, and more or less of the neck, exhibit 
 the mixed coating alluded to in speaking of the old bird. 
 
 Obs. Having never had an opportunity of comparing the 
 species just described with specimens of the Yultur Fulvus of 
 Europe, I follow the example of the illustrious Temminck* 
 in viewing them as identical. At the same time however, it 
 must be acknowledged, that a variety of circumstances concur 
 to create doubts as to the justness of the conclusion ; such as 
 In the Cape bird, the eyes in adult specimens, are light red- 
 dish or reddish yellow, in those of Europe, as stated by the 
 author just mentioned,f they are hazel ; in ours the cere is 
 livid, in his it is flesh colored ; in ours the extreme length 
 rarely exceeds three feet eight inches, in his it usually 
 measures four feet ; in ours the centre of the breast is covered 
 with short grayish brown feathers, in his with white down ; 
 in ours the head is covered with a dirty dusky hair, in his 
 with short white down. In our young specimens the color is 
 dark brown, with reddish yellow variegations, in his a very 
 clear tawny, with grayish white blotches, or sometimes pure 
 white tints. The Chassfiente of Levaillant, is certainly an 
 immature example of the Cape species, and in or near that 
 stage in which the greatest number of South African speci- 
 mens are obtained. 
 
 Its food consists of carrion and offal of every description, 
 and thus often life can scarcely be said to have left an animal 
 before it is consumed by a flock of Vultures. They build 
 their nests in crevices of rocks, lay one or two eggs, and 
 occur in great abundance throughout the whole of the South 
 of Africa. 
 
 2. VULTUB AUKICULARIS. Zwdrte Aasvogel of the Colonists. 
 
 Vultur Auriculatus, Shaw's Zoology, vol. 1, p. 24. Y. Pon- 
 ticerianus, Shaw, vol. 7, p. 25, pi. 10, Temminck, planch, vol. 2. 
 L'Oricou Le Vaill. torn. 1, pi. 1. 
 
 V. fuscus sen nigrofuscus ; collo nudo, cute auriculari pro- 
 ducta torque cervicali, purpuria aut rubra. 
 
 Bill strong ; tip of upper mandible yellow ; rest of that and 
 the lower greenish yellow or horn color ; cere bluish ; eyes 
 dark brown ; skin of head, and unfeathered portion of neck, 
 vermilion or livid purple, with white variegations ; the head 
 thinly covered with a brownish white down and some black 
 
 * Manuel d'Ornithogie, torn. 1, fol. 6. seconde edition. 
 
 Mb. 
 
 Les Oisseaux d'Afrique, par M. le Vaillant, torn. 1, fol. 44. 
 
 ra 
 
14 A Description of the Birds 
 
 hairs ; the neck bare, or with a still more scanty covering of 
 the like materials ; and on each side thereof a thin fold of 
 loose skin, extending downwards and forwards several inches 
 below the ears, usually about one inch in breadth, and similar 
 in color to the head/ Throat, and middle of breast, covered 
 with fine short black feathers ; back of neck with a ruff of long 
 narrow coarse brownish feathers, many of which are turned 
 forwards; lower part of cervix, back, and shoulders, dark 
 brown, many of the feathers margined with a lighter tint ; 
 quills and tail black, with the latter consisting of twelve 
 feathers. Under parts brownish black, the feathers long, 
 narrow, somewhat curved, and broadly edged with white 
 towards their bases, and narrowly with dirty light brown 
 elsewhere ; thighs with a few brownish feathers on their 
 outer sides, but their principal covering is a fine reddish 
 brown down ; legs and toes pale bluish, with a tinge of green ; 
 claws dark horn coloured, inclined to black; length about 
 three feet four or six inches ; expanse of wings ten feet. In 
 this species the back and shoulders are generally mottled by 
 an intermixture of white feathers, having the tips more or 
 less semicircular,* which circumstance, together with the 
 other feathers being to a certain extent pointed, renders it 
 probable that the plumage of the mature bird is nearly all 
 white, and that the specimen seen by Burchellf was one of 
 the present species in that stage. 
 
 Young. In immature specimens the bill is more of a dark 
 horn colour ; the eyes are a more deep brown ; the upper 
 part of the head and neck have a more dense coating of 
 brownish white down ; the throat, and centre of the breast, 
 are nearly the same at all ages ; the color of the skin, neck, 
 and auricles is less bright, and the latter are rather smaller. 
 The back of the neck is without the ruff, at least the feathers 
 are not longer there than elsewhere, though a little more 
 frizzy ; the plumage above is dark brown, the feathers edged 
 and tipt with dirty rufous ; the quills and tail are of a less 
 dense black than in aged specimens ; the feathers of the 
 breast and belly are narrower and straighter, of a lighter 
 tinge, and with the edges and tips of a dirty light brownish 
 white ; the thighs are covered with a whitish down ; J the legs 
 and toes are of a fainter bluish green, and the claws are more 
 horn coloured. Before the feathers appear, the bird is covered 
 
 * Having observed that a change in the form of the tips of feathers usually 
 takes place in various Vultures, and other birds of prey, at times when they are 
 m their most vigorous and perfect state, I am inclined to believe that, eventually, 
 such will enable us to discriminate between mature and immature specimens ; 
 at least, of certain genera. 
 
 t Harebell's Travels in South Africa, vol. 2, page 194. 
 
 The color of the down of the legs seems to vary without any regular rule, 
 and, therefore, requires more observation in order to decide in what stage, or in 
 what sex, it exhibits the one hue or the other. 
 
 [6] 
 
inhabiting the SoiUh of Africa. 15 
 
 with a fine, short, white down, which never leaves the breast 
 and belly. 
 
 This species builds its nest sometimes in trees, and at other 
 times in rocks, lays one or two eggs, and that in the months 
 of October or November. It occurs throughout the whole of 
 South Africa,but much less abundantly than the last described; 
 and though considerably superior in size to it, is, neverthe- 
 less, inferior in point of courage and strength. It is often 
 seen where carrion exists, yet rarely ventures to approach 
 thereto, till those of the other species have deserted it, which 
 happens only when they are satiated, or the flesh becomes 
 putrid and very scanty. 
 
 3. VULTUR OCCIPITALIS. BuTchel* 
 
 Corpus supra fusco nigrum subtus album. Caput lanugine 
 alba tectum occipitali reversa. Colli pars superior nuda poste- 
 rior plumis patentibus nigris et anterior depressis brevissimis 
 albis tectce. Remiges rectrices que nigrce ; rachidibus supra 
 nigris subtus albis. Tibice (femora) plumis albis dense vestitce 
 rostrum et pedes incarnata. Orbita denudata colli pars et cera 
 alba, ungues nigri. Lingua brevis Integra apice rotundata 
 basi sagittata laciniata. 
 
 Bill and feet flesh coloured ; bare part round the eyes 
 white ; irides of the color of burnt umber ; top of the head 
 covered with a white feathery wool, which, at the back part, 
 is longer and stands in a reversed position. Color above 
 blackish brown, but the thighs, and under parts of the body 
 and neck are white ; quill feathers, and those of the tail black. 
 The part of the neck which is bare, together with the base of 
 the beak, white ; the expanse of the wing is seven feet. 
 
 A Vulture of a different species to either of the two first 
 described, is not unfrequently met with in the northern and 
 eastern parts of the colony, and though I have often seen ex- 
 amples thereof, yet I have never been able to procure one for 
 examination. From the description of the species procured 
 by Burchelf in the Bechuana country, I am inclined to be- 
 lieve it is identical with the one under consideration, and, 
 from the lack of a more detailed description, I have introduced 
 his mostly in his own words. Were I satisfied that the species 
 to which Burchel's trivial name is applied by Eupell,^ was 
 the same, I should have no difficulty in supplying from the 
 description of the latter, whatever might be wanting in that 
 of the former. But, as the reverse is the case, I shall, until 
 such time as I have an opportunity of comparing the characters 
 of the South African species, consider the two as distinct. 
 
 * Burchel's Travels in South Africa, vol. 2, page 329. 
 f Ib. 
 
 j Atlas zu fler Reise im Nordlichen Afrika von Eduard Eupell, erste Abthei- 
 lung Zoologie, page 33, tal. 22. 
 
 [7] 
 
K3 A Description of the Birds 
 
 Genus. NEOPHRON. San't/iu/. 
 
 Caput anterius nudum ; col- 
 lum plumosum, rostrum per- 
 gracile elongatum, mandibula 
 inferiore deorsum curvata go- 
 nyde nullo. Nares longitudi- 
 nales, ovales antrorsum spec- 
 tantes ; remex, 3'" 1 - longissima, 
 rectrices quatuordecem. 
 
 Anterior part of head naked ; 
 neck feathered ; bill slender 
 elongated ; lower mandible in- 
 clined downwards, without go- 
 nys. Nostrils longitudinal, 
 oval, directed forwards ; third 
 quill feather longest ; tail com- 
 posed of fourteen feathers. 
 
 Vultur Lin. Lath. Gin. Gypaetos Bechstein. Cathartes 
 Meyer, Temminck. Peronopterus Cuvier. Catharista Vieillot. 
 1. NEOPHRON AEQYPTIACUS. Sav. Witte Kraal of the Colonists. 
 
 Vultur Percnopterus Gm. Syst. I. 249, sp. 7. Lath, Vultur 
 Leucocephalus Lath. Ind. orn. v. 1. sp. 2. L'Ourigourap. Vaill. 
 Ois. d' Afrique, pi. 14. Le Perenoptere. Cuv. Reg. Animal, v. 1. 
 
 V. albus ; remigibus nigris ; crista occipitali, cauda albida, 
 cuneata. 
 
 Bill horn coloured ; cere, forehead ; space round the eyes ; 
 cheeks, ears, chin, and part of the throat bare, and of a yellow 
 or saffron color ; eyes light reddish brown ; plumage white, 
 usually tinted with yellow ; feathers of nape narrow, elongated, 
 and pointed ; primary quill feathers black ; secondaries gray- 
 ish black, with the outer vanes more or less broadly margined 
 with white ; tail fan shaped, and pure white ; legs and toes 
 dirty greenish white, sometimes inclined to reddish yellow ; 
 claws dark horn coloured ; length, from one foot ten to two feet 
 two ; expanse of wings about five feet. The female is a little 
 larger than the male, but of the same color. 
 
 Young. The prevailing color varies between a black and a 
 brown. In all the specimens I have yet seen, the feathers of 
 the neck, particularly of the cervical portion, have been of a 
 deep black tinge, and of a long narrow pointed form. Those 
 of the shoulders and interscapular region blackish brown, 
 with, in some instances, chesnut coloured spots towards tips ; 
 and in others, large whitish or grayish red blotches. The 
 back and rump feathers are usually of a lighter tint than the 
 parts just mentioned, and the breast and belly vary, being 
 brown, rufous brown, or blackish brown in different speci- 
 mens. The crown of the head, and the skin and upper part of 
 the breast, when the bird has just acquired its feathers, are 
 covered with a dirty whitish down, and that becomes more or 
 less interspersed after a few weeks with black hairy feathers 
 The bare parts of the head are a livid red, varying in many 
 places to a fine yellow ; the cere is yellowish ; the upper man- 
 dible is livid horn coloured, and the lower greenish yellow ; 
 the tarsi and toes are bluish yellow ; the claws black, and the 
 eyes dark brown. 
 [8] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 17 
 
 Wherever travellers have penetrated, specimens of this 
 bird have been met with, and though nowhere congregated in 
 numbers, yet the individuals are so numerous, that there is 
 scarcely a farm-house in the colony, or a kraal, or a temporary 
 resting place for travellers beyond it, which are not once or 
 oftener in the course of the day visited by one or more of 
 them. In their flight they are constantly in search of carrion, 
 which forms their only food ; and it is with a view of pro- 
 curing such that they resort to the localities just mentioned. 
 They build their nests in crevices of rocks of difficult access, 
 and lay one or two eggs. 
 
 2. NEOPHRON CARUNCULATUS. Smith* 
 
 N. obscuro-fuscus ; caput et pars superior gutteris purpurea, 
 et nudata, ultimum carunculis parvis transversis albis octo 
 aut decem ; irides fuscce. 
 
 Bill greenish black towards base, dark horn colored near 
 tip ; eyes dark brown ; front, crown, sides of head, and upper 
 part of throat bare, and of a purple color, with eight or ten 
 white transverse caruncles on the latter ; nape, upper part of 
 neck, and lower part of throat covered with a light reddish 
 brown down, and between that of the latter and the caruncles 
 already mentioned, a large oval patch of black down ; lower 
 part of cervix, interscapulars and back deep brown ; the 
 feathers all edged and tipt with a lighter tint ; shoulders 
 nearly the same ; primary quill feathers blackish, with a gray- 
 ish tinge towards quills ; secondaries blackish brown, with 
 the color of the tips and edges lighter than that of the cen- 
 tres ; thighs covered with a white down in addition to some 
 long brown feathers on the outer sides ; legs and toss pale 
 greenish blue ; claws black. Length two feet two inches ; 
 breadth from tip to tip of wing five feet six inches. Inhabits 
 the North-East frontier of the colony, and is not uncommon 
 towards the sources of the Orange River. 
 
 Obs. This species in most of its characters resembles 
 the genuine Neophron, whilst, in the want of feathers on the 
 throat, it approaches the Vultures. The Vultur Occipitalis 
 of Ruppelf is described as having slight transverse caruncles 
 upon the upper part of the throat, but the form of its bill, 
 and its other characters, clearly bespeak its position to be 
 in another genus. 
 
 (To be continued.) 
 
 * South African Advertiser, May 13, 1829. 
 
 f Atlas zu der Reise im Nordlichen Afrika von Eduard Rupell, erste, Abthei- 
 Jung Zoologie, page 33, taf. 22. 
 
105 
 
 [FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL, 
 No. II., JANUARY to APRIL, 1830.1 
 
 A Description of the Birds inhabiting the South of 
 Africa. By ANDREW SMITH, M.D. Member of the 
 Wernerian Natural History Society of Edinburgh ; 
 Honorary Member of the Mineralogical Society of Jena, 
 
 &c. 
 
 [Continued from p. 17.] 
 
 Genus. GYPABTUS. Storr. 
 
 Caput, plurimum collum 
 que totum plumosa ; rostrum 
 subcrassum barbatum ; nares 
 barba setosa, opertce. B,e- 
 miges % da - et 3 tia - cequales 
 longissimce. Tarsi breves plu- 
 mosi; Rectrices 12. 
 
 Head and neck for the most 
 part covered with feathers; 
 beak moderately strong beard- 
 ed ; nostrils covered by a hairy 
 beard; second and third wing 
 feathers equal, and the longest; 
 tarsi short and feathered ; tail 
 composed of twelve feathers. 
 
 Vultur Lath. Briss. Meyer. Falco Gmel. 
 
 1. GYPAETUS BARBATTJS. 
 of the Colonists. 
 
 Cuv. Arend and Lammervanger 
 
 Vultur barbatus et barbarus, Lath. Ind. Orn. vol. \,p. 3, 
 sp. 5 and 6. Vultur Leucocephalus, Meyer, Taschenb. Deut. 
 vi. p. 9. Falco barbatus, Gmel. p. 252, sp. 38. Vultur aureus, 
 Brisson Orn. Edwards, t. 106. 
 
 G. rostro niger ; capite et cervice subalbidus ; dorso et scap- 
 ulis fusco-nigricans ; subtus subfulvus ; iridibus duobus circu- 
 lis, interior eflavo, exteriore rubro. 
 
 Bill black ; head and cervix dirty sallow white ; circle round 
 the eyes, and space between them, and bill covered with a 
 deep black hair as well as each side of lower mandible, at 
 base, also some similar hair under the bill, which is in the 
 form of a large tuft pointing forwards ; irides of two colors, 
 viz. : yellow towards pupil, and fine red towards circumference ; 
 front and part of sides of head behind eyes, as well as base of 
 lower mandible, covered with a dense white down ; rest of 
 head and cervix dusky white, faintly tinged with rufous ; 
 back and shoulders dusky, inclining to black, the centres of 
 
 o [11] 
 
1 OG A Description of the Birds 
 
 the feathers being more or less distinctly, an obscure cinereous 
 black, and the edges clear black, the shafts white. Primary 
 and secondary quill feather, together with the tail, more or 
 less grayish ; throat, breast, belly, and thighs clear or dull 
 rufous ; toes somewhat granulated, and dusky black. Length 
 about three feet. 
 
 Young. Head and neck brownish black ; upper parts gray- 
 ish brown with blotches of dirty white ; the anterior part of the 
 back with large white blotches; the scapulars and wing coverts 
 blackish with lighter colored spots ; the quill feathers brown- 
 ish black ; iris brown ; feet livid. (Temmink.) 
 
 This bird is found, though scantily, in most parts of South 
 Africa, and is seldom seen in company either with those 
 of its own species or of any other genus. It frequently resorts 
 to spots where carrion occurs, and feeds upon it ; and it often 
 also, according to the statements of the inhabitants, attacks 
 and kills the smaller quadrupeds. 
 
 Fam. FALCONID^E. 
 
 Caput plumosum ; aut partim denudatum, rostrum forte, 
 aduncum, basi cerigerum ; nares laterales, in ceromate positce, 
 plus aut minus rotundatce, apertce; digiti externi prcecipuc 
 mediis connexi, ungues validi, acutissimi, maxime incurvi, 
 retractiles. 
 
 Head clothed with feathers or partially naked ; beak strong, 
 bent down, and furnished with a cere ; nostrils lateral, placed 
 in the cere, more or less rounded, and open ; outer toes chiefly 
 connected with the middle one ; claws stout, very acute, much 
 incurved, and retractile. 
 
 Stirps. AQUILINA. (EAGLES.) 
 
 Rostrum longum ad apicem solum aduncum; remex quarta 
 prcecipue longissima 
 
 Beak long, hooked at the tip only; the fourth quill feather 
 usually longest. 
 
 Genus. POLYBOR01DES. Mihi. 
 
 Rostrum compressum prceci- Sill compsessed, particular- 
 
 pue versus culmen, modice un ly to wards culmen; moderately 
 
 einatum. Nares longitudinales [ hooked ; nostrils longitudinal 
 
 et angustce, ceroma Iceve ; la- jj and narrow; ceroma smooth ; 
 
 tera capitis ante et partum \ sides of head to some little 
 
 etiam post oculos denudata. distance behind eyes bare. 
 
 Tarsi longi graciles et reticu- |j Tarsi long, slender, and reti- 
 
 lati ; ungues compressi acuti ; ' culated ; claws compressed and 
 
 3< remex longmima. acute ; fourth quill feather the 
 
 .ongest. 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 107 
 
 POLOBOROIDES TYPICUS. 
 
 P. caput, collum, et dor sum, coesia lineis transversis nut 
 maculis nigris variegatis ; gutture et pectore ccesiis abdomine 
 et fern -ribus, albis, v>egro transverse, striati* ; remigibus p im- 
 ariis, nigris, secundariis ccesiis; rectricibus itigris, facia lata, 
 apicibisque albis* 
 
 Bill dark horn colored ; orbits and cere inclined to orange ; 
 front, crown, neck, interscapulars, and back fine gray ; shoul- 
 ders and scapulars the same, slightly variegated, however, by 
 narrow dusky lines, and most of the latter besides have also 
 a large black blotch towards their tips. Primary wing coverts 
 dark gray, each with a large black blotch towards the tip, 
 which last in all of them is white ; secondary coverts the 
 same, only the gray is a little lighter. Primary wing feather 
 gray towards quills, elsewhere shining black, with the ex- 
 ception of some of the innermost, which are white ; seconda- 
 ries principally gray, having each a broad black bar towards 
 tip, which itself is white. Tail long, rounded, shining green- 
 ish black, with a broad band of white mottled with black 
 towards its extremity, and the apices of all the feathers 
 white, as well as a little of the vanes of each towards quills ; 
 chin, throat, and breast an uniform fine gray ; belly, vent, 
 insides of shoulders, hinder part of back, and whole of thighs 
 finely marked with transverse black and white lines ; tarsi and 
 toes yellowish brown ; claws dark horn colored. Length two 
 feet four inches. Found, though very seldom, in the eastern 
 districts of the colony and in Caffreland, as also in Madagascar. 
 
 Obs. Some years ago I saw a specimen of this species, 
 though in a very different plumage, viz. chiefly brown ; which 
 was, doubtless, either a young bird, or else the female, if her 
 color differs from the male. 
 
 GENUS. HALIyEETUS. Savigny. SEA-EAGLE. 
 
 Rostrum supra convexum ; 
 nares lunulatce, transverse ; 
 ceroma subhispi<iium. Tarsi 
 semiplumati ; acrotarsia scu- 
 tellata. Digiti liberi, externus 
 versatilis ; ungues mcequales, 
 acuti. 
 
 Beak convex above ; nostrils 
 lunulated, transverse : ceroma 
 subhisped. Tarsi half feather- 
 ed ; acrotarsia scaled. Toes 
 free, the outer one versatile ; 
 claws unequal acute. 
 
 HALI^EETTJS VOCIFEE. Groote Vischvanger of the Colonists. 
 
 Falco vocifer, Shaw, 7, p.94<; Le V^cifer, Le Vaillant, 
 Ois Afr. pi 4. 
 
 T. capite, collo, parte anteriore dorsi, pectore, et cauda albis, 
 humeris abdomine cruribus que, ferrugineis ; ceroma et digitis 
 flavis. 
 
 Male. Bill black ; cere yellow ; space between cere and 
 
 [13] 
 
108 -1 7 V.sr ///)/ /o// of the Bird* 
 
 eyes yellow, and thinly covered with black hair ; " eyes 
 reddish brown." Head, neck, interscapulars, anterior part of 
 back, and breast pure white ; the feathers of the head, back 
 of neck, and interscapulars, with their shafts brownish red ; 
 belly and thighs deep chesnut. Primary and secondary wing 
 coverts, as well as primary and secondary wing feathers, deep 
 shining black ; tail slightly rounded, and pure white ; legs and 
 toes deep yellow ; claws black. Length from bill to root of 
 tail twenty -five inches ; length of latter eight inches. 
 
 Female. The black color is less clear ; the white is more 
 dusky ; and the chesnut lighter ; which, together with the 
 greater size, form the only differences between the sexes. 
 
 Young. " The parts that are white in the old bird, are ashy 
 gray in the young ; " those that are chesnut in the former, are 
 brownish in the latter ; and the shoulders and back are also of 
 a brown color ; the wing feathers are black, but not so deep 
 as in mature specimens. " In the third year it acquires its 
 complete plumage." 
 
 In the vicinity of most of the large rivers of South Africa 
 this bird occurs, and it is also now and then met with about 
 the different bays along both coasts ; but particularly the South- 
 east one. " They build their nests upon the tops of trees or 
 on rocks, and the female lays three or four white eggs, rather 
 larger than those of the turkey." When this bird is observed 
 to make much noise as perched upon the trees on the banks 
 of rivers, the inhabitants consider rain as near at hand. 
 
 HALI^ETUS BLAGRTJS. Fishing Eagle of the Colonists. 
 
 Falco blagrus, Shaw 7, p. 96; Le Blagre, Le Vaill. Ois 
 Afr. pi. 5. 
 
 H. fuscus, capite, collo, cauda, corporeque subtus albis hume- 
 ris fuscis ; iridibus fuscis ; tarsis flavis ; unguibus nigris. 
 
 " Bill brownish ; eyes deep brown ; head, neck, breast, 
 belly, and thighs satin white, with the feathers of the head 
 and back of the neck edged with brown. Scapulars and 
 secondary wing coverts light grayish brown ; tail the same, 
 with the exception of the tip, which is white. Primary wing 
 feathers blackish ; outer vanes of secondaries like the scapu- 
 lars ; legs and feet yellowish ; claws black." Length about 
 " two feet." 
 
 " This bird is found inhabiting the sea coast and the banks 
 of rivers abounding with fish ; and is hence seldom met with 
 far in the interior." Near the mouth of the Boscheman river 
 I once saw a bird of prey, which was, evidently, one of the 
 species above described ; and on another occasion one perched 
 upon a large tree over-hanging the Keiskamma. I have 
 never, however, been able to procure specimens for examina- 
 tion. 
 
 [14] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 109 
 
 Genus. CIRCLE KTUS. Vieillot. 
 
 Beak above convex ; nostrils 
 lunulated ; ceroma subhispid. 
 Tarsi elongated, naked ; aero- 
 tarsia reticulated . Toes snort ; 
 the outer connected at the base 
 to the middle one ; claws stout, 
 nearly equal. 
 
 Rostrum supra convexum; 
 nares lunulatce ; ceroma subhis- 
 pidum. Tarsi elongati, nudi; 
 acrotarsia reticulata. Digiti 
 breves ; externus cum medio ad 
 basin connexus; ungues breves 
 subcequales. 
 
 ClRC^EETUS PECTORALIS. 
 
 C. nigro-fuscus aut niger, guttere et pectore nigris, abdo- 
 mine, crisso ; et cruribus albis ; cauda faciis transversis nigris 
 que albidis striata ; Iridibis flavis ; tarsis subalbidis, unguibus 
 rostroque subnigris. 
 
 Male. Bill dark horn colored ; eyes fine yellow ; head, 
 together with the back and sides of neck blackish brown, 
 the former often with a slight tinge of gray ; interscapulars, 
 back, tail coverts, and shoulders blackish brown, each feather 
 more or less distinctly tipt with a dusky or pure white ; 
 throat variegated black and white ; breast pure black or 
 brownish black ; belly, under tail coverts, and thighs pure 
 white. Primary quill feathers black, with the exception of 
 the greater portion of the inner vane of each towards its base, 
 which is white ; secondaries marked by transverse black and 
 grayish, or grayish white bands, and distinctly tipt with 
 white. Tail nearly even and composed of twelve feathers, 
 each of which has, or may be said to have, white or gray 
 and white as the ground color, and to be crossed more or less 
 completely by three broad black bands. When the two colors 
 first mentioned occur in the same specimen, the gray occu- 
 pies only the outer vanes towards the tips, and sometimes a 
 little of the inner ones near the shafts, whilst the white 
 appears in all other situations. When viewed below the 
 whole ground color appears a pure white, and the three 
 transverse bands a dusky black. Legs and toes livid white, 
 with a tint of greenish ; claws black. Length from bill to 
 base of tail fourteen inches ; length of tail nine inches and 
 a half. 
 
 Female. In point of color the male and female are nearly 
 alike, but the latter is always considerably larger than the 
 former. 
 
 Young. When it leaves the egg it is covered with a dense 
 white down, which, after a few months, is concealed by an 
 uniform light chesnut or a dull earthy brown plumage*. The 
 
 * I have met with young specimens of this species of both colors, which 
 might possibly have been different sexes. 
 
 [15] 
 
110 A Description of the Birds 
 
 primary quill feathers are the same as in old birds, but the 
 secondaries ;uv less distinctly baiuk-d, and the proportion of 
 the white in the bands is smaller, or indeed almost wanting, 
 gray being the prevailing color ; the tips are white. The tail 
 is banded, but the colors are in a reversed proportion, dark 
 brownish black, or black being the most abundant or ground 
 hue, and reddish white the most scanty. The latter occurs in 
 the form of narrow transverse bands, about four or five on 
 each feather, and the tips of all have besides a narrow edging 
 of dusky white ; the tail is also considerably longer in young 
 specimens than in old ones*. Legs and toes shaded with 
 brown ; claws nearly black ; bill dark horn colored, shaded 
 with yellow ; eyes yellow ; length of the tail ten inches and 
 a half. 
 
 Examples of these species are sometimes met with in a very 
 different plumage to either of the above described ; namely, 
 with the under parts principally white, slightly spotted with 
 black or dark brown, and more or less clouded with pale 
 rufous or dirty light chesnut. The head nearly white, or 
 only with shades or streaks of brown, and the back and 
 shoulders brownish, with the feathers more or less distinctly 
 tipt with white. 
 
 This bird builds its nest on trees, and constructs it exter- 
 nally with dried twigs, and internally with wool, hair, &c. 
 It lays usually one, though sometimes two eggs, which are 
 very large, and of a pure white color. Wherever South 
 Africa has been explored, the present species has been met 
 with, and though no where in great numbers, yet it is not so 
 rare as to enable us to imagine how it escaped the notice of 
 Le Vaillant. It feeds upon snakes, lizards, mice, &c. and I 
 have been assured by many of the colonists that it even, at 
 times, catches and devours fish. The male and female are 
 usually found together ; the young birds acquire the plumage 
 of maturity about the months of May or June of, perhaps, the 
 second or third year. 
 
 GENUS. HELOTARSUS. Mihft. 
 
 Rostrum superne convexum, 
 modice curvatum et uncinatum ; 
 narei lunulatce ; ceroma Iceve ; 
 lor a sulpilosa. Tarsi breves 
 
 Bill convex above,moderate- 
 ly curved and hooked; nos- 
 trils lunulate ; cere smooth ; 
 lores thinlv set with hair. 
 
 * This is not peculiar to the Circfleetus, but also occurs in the young of 
 many other genera. 
 
 f In relation to the position I have chosen for this Genus, as well as for 
 that of Polyboroides, I may observe that I atn not inclined to view either as 
 well placed. The want, however, of the means of comparing them with the 
 vanous other genera to which they are more or less allied, renders it neces- 
 sary for me to leave their immediate affinities to be discovered by others 
 enjoying better opportunities. 
 
 [!6] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. Ill 
 
 partim plumis et partim squa- 
 mis rigidis elevatis tecti ; digiti 
 squamosi et prope ungues scu- 
 tullati ; ungues incequales mo- 
 dice curvati. Remex 2^ a - 
 longissima, \ma. ^ %tia. f ere 
 cequales. 
 
 Tarsi short, partly covered 
 with feathers, and partly with 
 rough elevated scales ; toes 
 scaly, and towards claws scu- 
 tulate ; claws unequal, mo- 
 derately curved. The second 
 wing feather the longest, the 
 
 first and third nearly equal. 
 HELOTAESTJS TYPICUS. Boot or Berghaan of the Colonists. 
 
 Falco ecaudatus, Shaw, vol. 7, p. 98. Le Bateleur, Le Vail- 
 lanl Ois. Afr. pi. 7 and 8. 
 
 H. niger, dor so, caudaque rufis ; humeris griseo-fuscis ; tectrici- 
 bus alarum nigris ; primariis et secundariis, griseis aut cinereis 
 prope bases, nigris versus apices. 
 
 Male. Tip of bill black ; base and the cere orange ; eyes 
 deep red ; head, neck, and under parts clear black ; inter- 
 scapulars, back, and tail clear deep chesnut ; shoulders gray- 
 ish brown ; primary and secondary wing coverts black ; pri- 
 mary wing feathers with both vanes gray, and the inner ones 
 edged near quills with white ; secondaries cinereous gray, 
 with the inner vanes edged with white ; and each feather 
 broadly tipt with fine shining black ; scapulars black ; tail 
 slightly rounded, and the wings, when folded, about three 
 inches longer than it. Tarsi reddish, more or less inclined 
 to orange ; toes similarly colored ; claws black. Length from 
 bill to base of tail seventeen inches ; length of latter five 
 inches and a half. 
 
 Female. Colors disposed as in the male, only less bright ; 
 size a little greater. 
 
 Young. Cere bluish ; bill horn colored ; feet and tarsi 
 yellowish ; plumage brown, lightest on the head and neck, 
 most of the feathers with the edges and tips of a fainter hue; 
 primary and secondary wing feathers blackish, tinged with 
 gray ; tail blackish brown ; claws black. 
 
 It is found in Autniqua land and in the eastern districts of 
 the colony, as well as in the country around Lattakoo. It flies 
 very high, and exhibits a peculiar appearance on account of 
 the shortness of the tail and the length of the wings. Le 
 Vaillant says it kills young antelopes, lambs, ostriches, &c., 
 but I have seen it only feed upon carrion, which it did 
 with great avidity. 
 
 Genus. AQUILA. Auct. 
 
 Rostrum supra subangulare ; 
 nares rotundatce ; ceroma sub- 
 hispidum. Tarsi usque ad 
 digitos plumati. 
 
 Beak somewhat angular a- 
 bove; nostrils rounded; ceroma 
 rather hispid. Tarsi clothed 
 with feathers to the toes. 
 [17] 
 
112 A Description of the Birds 
 
 1. AQUILA BELLICOSA. Daudin. 
 
 Falco Armiger,Shaw8 Zoology, vol. 7, p. 57. Falco bellicosus, 
 Ind. Orn. vol. 1, p. 9. Le Griffard, Le Vaillant Oiss. d'Afri- 
 que, tome 1, pi. 1. 
 
 .4 rosfro nigricante; capite subcristato ; plumis capitis, 
 cervicisque albo et nigro-fuscus variegatis ; dorsi humerorumque 
 fuscis albo marginatis. Infra alba; remigibus primariis 
 nigris apicibus albis ; secundariis et rectricibus nigro griseoque 
 fasciatis, extrema parte albis. 
 
 Bill bluish at the base, black elsewhere ; eyes fine brown ; 
 space between them and bill thinly covered with black bristles ; 
 plumage of hindhead a little elongated, so as to form a slight 
 crest. Feathers of head, and of back and sides of neck, as 
 well as of the front thereof towards its middle, variegated 
 blackish brown and white ; the latter towards their bases and 
 tips, and the former intermediate between those ; interscapu- 
 lars, back, tail, coverts, and shoulders more or less deep 
 brown ; with the tips of all the feathers, but particularly of 
 those of the latter, dusky white. Throat, breast, belly, and 
 legs pure white. Primary wing feathers black, tipt with 
 white ; secondaries alternately banded with dusky blackish 
 brown and dull hoary gray, and all broadly tipt with white. 
 Tail slightly rounded, with each feather banded more or less 
 directly across by black and hoary gray, the latter usually 
 passing to white towards the inner margins of the inner vanes, 
 and all distinctly tipt with white. Tarsi and toes a light 
 livid green, inclining sometimes to yellowish green; claws 
 deep black and much curved ; length from bill to base of tail 
 twenty inches; length of latter twelve inches; expanse of 
 wings about eight feet and a half. 
 
 Le Yaillant says*, the female is about one-fourth larger 
 than the male, and nearly of the same color ; that she lays 
 two large and almost round white eggs in a nest constructed 
 on a tree or upon rocks, according to circumstances ; that the 
 male and female are usually seen together, and that their 
 favorite food consists of hares and the smaller antelopes, 
 which they pursue with much activity and determination. He 
 also remarks that it is only found on the western coast of 
 South Africa, which is also the locality that my experience 
 warrants me in assigning it, as the only two examples I have 
 seen were near to the mouth of Oliphants Eiver. 
 2. AQUILA VULTURINA. Berghaan and Dassievanger of the 
 Colonists. 
 
 Falco Vulturinus, Shaw's Zoology, vol. 7, p. 58. Le Caffre 
 Le Vaillant Oies. d'Afrique, tome I, p. 28. 
 
 * Wherever my own observations are deficient, and the want can be sup- 
 plied by a reference to the work of the author just quoted, I shall always 
 avail myself thereof without hesitation, only making him responsible by 
 acknowledging the authority. 
 
 [18] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 113 
 
 A. nigra, rostro nigricante ; ceromaflavum, dorso albo. 
 
 Bill blackish blue, verging here and there to a light horn 
 color ; cere deep yellow ; eyes reddish brown ; space between 
 them and bill pretty thickly set with black bristles ; back and 
 tail coverts white ; plumage elsewhere deep black ; tail more 
 rounded than in the foregoing species; tarsi and toes deep 
 yellow; claws black. Length from bill to base of tail 17 
 in. ; length of latter 12 in. ; expanse of wings about 7 feet. 
 
 Young. The upper mandible towards base is yellowish, 
 the rest is livid black ; the lower, with the exception of the 
 tip which is of the latter color, is a clear yellow ; the head, 
 the back, and the sides of neck, clear reddish tawny, inclined 
 to a pale chesnut ; the interscapular and shoulder feathers 
 dirty brown, edged, and strongly tipt with tawny ; the back 
 a mixture of chesnut, brownish black, and dirty reddish white. 
 Below reddish brown of various tints, with the centres of 
 feathers blackish or blackish brown ; legs light tawny. Pri- 
 mary feathers have their inner vanes, towards their bases, 
 marked by transverse black and white bands, and the outer 
 ones by an uniform brownish red, elsewhere brownish black, 
 with waved bands or narrow lines of hoary gray, and all tipt 
 with reddish white. Tail feathers towards quills black, crossed 
 with narrow reddish white bands ; near extremities reddish 
 brown, and tips reddish white ; feet and toes livid white ; 
 claws black. 
 
 Obs. This is one of the few birds which do not appear to 
 have been quite correctly studied and observed by Le Yail- 
 lant. He states it as displaying certain characters of the 
 Vultures, though it doubtless exhibits in its formation and 
 habits, all the peculiarities of the genuine eagles ; and he 
 affirms that it feeds upon carrion, but I have never observed 
 it to resort to situations where such existed. As far as my 
 experience goes its food consists almost entirely of the Dassie 
 (Hyrax Capensis) and from that circumstance it is usually 
 met with near the tops of mountains, either soaring about 
 or perched in positions from whence it can discover the 
 little quadrupeds just named, upon which it descends with a 
 character clearly indicative of its affinity. Besides such dif- 
 ferences in the less tangible points, there is a very material 
 variance in some of the more evident characters, particularly 
 in that of color, which he describes as being entirely black; 
 whilst in twelve adult specimens that I have examined the 
 back and tail coverts were invariably white. That such an 
 omission should have been committed by an observer of such 
 amazing accuracy I can hardly conceive, yet I cannot bring 
 myself to believe that specimens procured by him were with- 
 out the white back ; and, therefore, feel persuaded that his 
 
 D 2 [19] 
 
114 A Description of the Birds 
 
 description was taken from a stuffed specimen, in which the 
 wings were, probably, so disposed as to conceal the color. 
 
 This species is said invariably to build its nest in the most 
 inaccessible positions, and to lay one or two eggs. It is much 
 more common than the last described species, even in the 
 country in which both occur ; and its habitat is far more ex- 
 tended, being about all the mountainous ranges, and even 
 the majority of the detached hills throughout the colony, and 
 the country a long way to the northward of it. 
 
 AQUILA CHOKA. CJwJc of the Colonists. 
 
 A. supra fulvus aut subfulvus fusco variegatus ; infra fulvus 
 pectore et hypochondriis, maculis nigris, longitudinalibus, notatis 
 pedes flavi, ungues nigri. 
 
 Male. Bill livid blue towards base, dark horn colored at 
 tip ; cere yellow ; eyes reddish brown ; front, crown, neck, 
 interscapulars, and back, pale tawny, with here and there 
 brownish variegations ; tail coverts tawny or dirty white ; 
 shoulders varied tawny and dark brown ; scapulars blackish 
 brown, more or less distinctly tipt with reddish white ; pri- 
 mary quill feathers blackish brown, some of them edged on 
 outer vanes with tawny red, and all tipt with reddish white ; 
 secondaries dark dirty brown, narrowly edged and tipt with 
 reddish white ; primary quill feathers black ; secondaries 
 blackish brown on their outer vanes, on the inner grayish 
 variegated by many transverse dark bands; tips of all reddish 
 tawny ; tail rounded, brownish gray, and much mottled by 
 partial indistinct dusky black transverse narrow bands ; tips 
 of feathers all tawny ; under parts tawny with brown varie- 
 gations, particularly numerous on the flanks and anterior 
 part of the belly ; thighs dark ferruginous ; toes yellow ; 
 claws dark horn colored. Length about two feet four inches. 
 
 Female. Color nearly that of the male, and distributed in 
 the same way ; size rather larger. 
 
 Young. Prevailing color chesnut, without any of the brown 
 variegations of the older bird ; feathers of the head and back 
 of neck tipt with light tawny ; tail dirty brownish gray, tipt 
 with reddish white ; cere and toes dull yellow ; claws black ; 
 eyes yellow. 
 
 ^ As far as travellers have penetrated, they have found spe- 
 cimens of this bird ; it is pretty abundant all over the colony, 
 and usually resorts to places where carrion exists, to procure 
 its food. When an animal dies it is usually one of the first 
 visitors, and it eats with avidity till the Vultures arrive, 
 when it gives place to them, and remains afterwards a simple 
 spectator. The female builds her nest on trees, but I have 
 had no means of ascertaining the number of eggs she lays. 
 
 [20] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 115 
 
 Obs. The colors described as marking the old birds, are 
 those most commonly met with, but it may be observed that 
 specimens obtained soon after the moulting season have a ches- 
 nut instead of a tawny tinge, and all the brown variegation 
 deeper and clearer. Though I have no direct reason for be- 
 lieving that the plumage described as that of an old male, is 
 only that of one of a middle age, yet from having witnessed 
 so much variety in the markings of birds in that stage, I think 
 it is not improbable that farther observations will prove the 
 mature color to be a little different. 
 
 Genus. MORPHINUS. Cuvier. 
 
 Rostrum supra convexum; 
 nares elliptici. Tarsi elevati, 
 subgraciles ; acrotarsia scutel- 
 lata. Digiti subbreves ; un- 
 
 Beak convex above; nostrils 
 elliptic. Tarsi elevated, rather 
 slender; acrotarsia scutellated. 
 Toes rather short; claws acute. 
 
 gues acuti. 
 
 Spizaetus, Vieillot. 
 
 MOEPHINUS ALBESCENS. 
 
 Falco albescens, Shaw, vol. 7, p. 93. Le Blanchard, Le 
 Vaillant Ois Afriq. pi. 3. 
 
 M. albescens ; cristatus ; supra fusco-flavescente varius ; cauda 
 nigra albo fasciata. 
 
 Male. Bill lead colored ; eyes fine yellow ; head with a 
 small crest ; the whole plumage white, clouded with blackish 
 brown upon the mantle, and soft to the touch ; tail rayed 
 transversely black and white ; primary wing feathers with the 
 outer vanes brownish, and the inner ones rayed ; claws a 
 leaden color." Length about two feet six or eight inches. 
 
 Female. " A third larger than the male." 
 
 Young. As well as Le Vaillant could judge from two 
 young specimens which he found in a nest, the color of the 
 plumage is nearly that of the the old bird, excepting that the 
 brown is more abundant, and all the wing coverts are bor- 
 dered with reddish. When this species leaves the egg it is 
 covered with a tawny white down." 
 
 Le Yaillant found this species in Autinequa land, and the 
 only two specimens which I have ever seen, occurred one in 
 the forest between the Sunday and Bushman Eivers, and the 
 other near Hermanus kraal, on the banks of the Great Fish 
 Eiver ; but neither of them was I able to procure. 
 
 MORPHINTJS OCCIPITALIS. KuifJcop Valk of the Colonists. 
 
 Falco Occipitalis, Daudin, Ois. 2, p. 40. Shaw, 7, p. 59. 
 Nisser Tokoor, Bruce, Le Huppard, Le Vaillant, Ois. Afr. pi. 2. 
 
 [21] 
 
116 A Description of the Birds. 
 
 M. nigro-fuscuB aut niger ; occipite cristato ; remigibus et 
 rectricibus albo variegatis ; pedibus flavis. 
 
 Male. Above blackish brown, inclining to a simple black, 
 at least in very old specimens ; below the same color, only of 
 a darker tint ; head and crest blacker than the other parts ; 
 the latter composed of several feathers, and most of them of 
 different lengths, the longest between five and six inches ; 
 primary and secondary wing coverts blackish brown, with 
 more or less of the inner vane of each feather white ; primary 
 wing feathers white towards quills, blackish brown elsewhere ; 
 in the very outermost ones the white occurs only upon the 
 inner vanes, in those next to them it occupies both vanes, 
 and in what are still more internal the white is crossed by 
 black bands ; secondaries have the outer vanes an uniform 
 dusky brown, and the inner ones brown and a dusky or pure 
 white in alternate transverse bands ; tail slightly rounded, 
 and each feather marked with white ; grayish white, or red- 
 dish white and black alternate bands ; the number of the first 
 description is usually three, besides some irregular ones or 
 only spots towards quills ; the bands seldom extend completely 
 across, but have the extremities on each side commonly mar- 
 gined with the same black as the other bands, and between the 
 last light colored one, and the tip nearly two inches of uniform 
 black ; bill and claws black ; cere and toes yellowish. Length 
 from bill to base of tail nineteen inches ; length of latter nine 
 inches. 
 
 Female. In addition to being one-third larger than the 
 male, the colors are less bright, and there is a stronger tinge 
 of brown at all times in the plumage ; the legs are also more 
 white ; and the light bands of the tail have commonly a 
 stronger shade of gray or reddish white ; the white of the 
 primary wing feathers is also generally clouded with light 
 brown ; the sides of the head are spotted with white, and the 
 crest is shorter. 
 
 Young. " When they escape from the egg they are covered 
 by a grayish white down, which is replaced by degrees by 
 brownish feathers, edged with red. At the time they leave 
 the nest the crest is quite apparent." 
 
 This bird constructs its nest upon trees, and lines it inside 
 with feathers and wool ; the females lay two nearly round eggs, 
 which are spotted with brownish red. The male and female 
 usually occur together, and Le Yaillant found them only in 
 Auteniqua land. A fine specimen of this species was shot 
 near Stellenbosch by Dr. Versfeld, and I have seen others 
 frequently about the sources of the Cowie River, and on the 
 banks of the Great Fish Eiver towards De Bruin's Drift. It 
 may, therefore, be said to inhabit the whole of the South- 
 
 [22] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 1 1 7 
 
 east coast, and also the interior towards the eastern frontier 
 of the colony, as well as beyond it. 
 
 MORPHINUS DTJBIUS. 
 
 M. supra fuscus aut nigro fuscus ; infra albus striis, longitu- 
 dinalibus fuscis variegatus ; latera colli pectoris que subfvsca. 
 Remiges nigro-fuscce, albo aut nigro plus minus variegatoe ; 
 rectrices, fuscoe striis nigris undulatis notatce, et apices albce, 
 digiti flavi, rostrum et ungues subnigri. 
 
 Female. Bill bluish black; cere yellow; plumage above 
 brown or blackish brown, according to the age and season of 
 the year, the shafts of the feathers and a portion of the vanes 
 adjoining being always darkest ; feathers towards quills more 
 or less white ; shoulders the same color as back, with the 
 exception of the margins of the feathers, which are of a 
 lighter tint ; sides of neck and breast variegated brown and 
 white ; chin, throat, and centre of breast chiefly white, with 
 some brown shades in the form of longitudinal streaks that 
 include the shafts of the feathers; belly white, here and 
 there variegated with clouds of light reddish brown or with 
 dark brown narrow streaks, produced by the shafts being of 
 that color. Several of the long feathers on the flanks more 
 or less distinctly crossed with reddish brown, and those on 
 the outside of the thighs also slightly marked in the same 
 way, only with a lighter shade, the rest of the feathers of 
 the legs pure white. Primary wing feathers blackish brown, 
 except the inner vanes towards quill, which are a pure white 
 or white and black in transverse bands, the latter distribution 
 occurs most particularly in some of the innermost ones, which 
 are almost for their whole extent so marked ; secondaries 
 blackish brown, the inner vanes banded with a darker tint, 
 and all pretty broadly tipt with white ; insides of shoulders 
 white, with a few blackish brown spots or blotches. Tail 
 nearly even, the feathers blackish brown, variegated with 
 narrow waved irregular bands of a darker tint, and all besides 
 being tipt with white are more or less mottled with that color, 
 particularly the inner vanes near quills ; upper tail coverts 
 reddish white ; toes yellow ; claws black. Length from bill 
 to root of tail ten inches ; length of latter eight inches. 
 
 Young. Bill bluish black ; cere greenish yellow ; plumage 
 above a light brown, with the tips and edges of the feathers 
 light tawny or reddish ; chin, throat, and centre of breast 
 light tawny with brown streaks ; belly the same color, with a 
 few narrow brown lines ; flank feathers, and those on outside 
 of thighs marked as in older specimens ; wing feathers and 
 tail with the brown less deep ; toes greenish yellow ; claws 
 black. 
 
 0fo. In the above descriptions I am very doubtful if either 
 
 [23] 
 
118 A Description of the Birds 
 
 the mature or young plumage be detailed, as a variety of 
 circumstances concur to induce me to believe that both are 
 examples of a plumage in a middle stage, only ; that of the one 
 being at least a year older than that of the other. Of the 
 four individuals which I have had an opportunity of examining, 
 two were killed at the Heer Logement, near the Oliphants 
 River, one near Cape Town, and the other some where in the 
 interior At the former of those situations this bird is by no 
 means rare, but on account of its great shyness is with diffi- 
 culty obtained. It retreats upon the approach of evening 
 towards the higher parts of the mountains, and perches during 
 the night upon the branches of old and decayed trees. In the 
 day it resorts to the plains in search of food, and in its pro- 
 gress through the air it commonly soars, is circles, and at a 
 great height, whereby it is almost impossible to destroy it 
 while on the wing. In consideration of its form and general 
 character, I have placed it for the present in the Genus Mor- 
 phinus, though I am not quite convinced but that a more 
 extensive opportunity of studying and comparing its charac- 
 ters, habits, and anatomical structure, will point out its 
 affinity and position to be elsewhere. It is a species, there- 
 fore, which I should particularly recommend to the observa- 
 tion of the colonists, and specimens of it in different ages 
 would be most acceptable, more particularly the young as 
 found in the nest. 
 
 Genus. CYMINDIS*. Citvier. 
 
 Rostrum supra convexum ; Beak convex above ; nostrils 
 
 nares subclausi, rimiformes. nearly closed, and resembling 
 
 Tarsi breves; digiti si mi-pal- a cleft. Tarsi short ; toes half - 
 
 mati. webbed. 
 CYMINDIS BACHA. 
 
 Buteo Bacha, Cuv. Reg. Animal, I, p. 324. Falco Bacha, 
 Shaw, 7, p. 157. La Bacha, Le Vaillant, Ois. Afr.pl 15. 
 
 C. obscuro-fuscus aut nigricans ; humeris, abdomine et cruri- 
 bus albo notatis ; tectricibus inferioribus caudce albo lineatis ; 
 crista occipitali nigra albo fasciata ; cauda fascia alba. 
 
 Male. "Bill lead colored; cere and bare space between 
 beak and eyes yellow ; eyes a deep brownish red ; head black, 
 variegated with white ; hindhead crested ; the feathers black 
 at their tips, and white elsewhere; plumage above earthy 
 brown or blackish brown, lightest on the wings and shoulders ; 
 beneath the same hue, only less deep, and from the breast to 
 the legs the feathers are spotted with white, as are also those 
 
 thighs and shoulders; the hinder part of abdomen and vent 
 * Shaw's Zoology, vol. 13, p. 21. 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 119 
 
 rayed transversely brown and white ; tail slightly rounded 
 with a broad band of tawny white, and each feather tipt with 
 white ; tarsi and toes yellowish ; claws black. Length one 
 foot eight or one foot ten inches." 
 
 Female. " The spots are less distinct, and more of a tawny 
 tinge ; the brown is less clear ; and the size exceeds that of 
 the male." 
 
 Le Vaillant found this bird on the mountains of Great 
 Namaqualand, and I have myself seen several examples of it, 
 at least as far as I could judge, about the tops of the moun- 
 tains which occur towards the lower part of the Orange 
 River. It is very shy, and on that account, though I en- 
 deavoured by every means to procure a specimen, I was un- 
 successful. " It makes its nest in holes of the rocks, which 
 it constructs externally of sticks, and internally of leaves or 
 moss, and lays two or three eggs. Rock rabbits (Hyrax 
 capensis) form its principal food." As I have ne^er myself 
 had an opportunity of examining this bird, I have placed it in 
 the Genus Cymindis, in consequence of the remarks of Mr. 
 Vigors, one of the most enlightened Ornithologists of the 
 present dayf. 
 
 Stirps. ACCIPITRINA. (HAWKS.) 
 
 Rostrum breve a basi aduncum ; alee breves ; remex quarta 
 plerumque longissima. 
 
 Beak short, hooked from the base ; wings short ; the fourth 
 quill generally longest. 
 
 Genus. ACCIPITER. Auct. 
 
 Rostrum breve ; nares sub- 
 ovales. Tarsi elongati glabrii 
 acrotarsia scutellata, suturd ; 
 vix decernenda. 
 
 Beak short; nostrils somewhat 
 oval. Tarsi elongated, gla- 
 brous ; acrotarsia scutellated ; 
 sutures scarcely visible. 
 
 Sparvius pars, Vieillot. lerax, Leach. Nisus, Cuvier. 
 ACCIPITER MUSICTJS. Blaauwe Valk of the Colonists. 
 
 Falco musicus, Daud. Orn. p. 116. Shaw, vol. 7, p. 143. 
 Le Faucoii Chanteur, Le Vaillant, Ois d'Afriq.,p. 117, pi. 27. 
 
 A. canus, abdomine cruribusque, albis, nigro lineatis ; remi- 
 gibus, primariis nigro fuscis, et secundariis albis nigro notatis ; 
 cauda rotundata ; plumis duabus mediis nigro-griseis reliquis, 
 nigro et albo variegatis ; ceroma et tarsis rubris. 
 
 Male. Upper and lower mandibles at base orange colored, 
 elsewhere black ; cere vermillion red ; head, neck, and breast 
 
 + Zoological Journal, vol. 1, p. 324. 
 
 [25] 
 
120 A Description of the Birds, fyc. 
 
 light bluish gray ; back and scapulars dark slate color ; upper 
 tail coverts white ; shoulders silvery gray, finely mottled with 
 black ; false wing feathers and primary wing coverts deep 
 hoary, inclined to grayish black; secondary coverts white, 
 mottled with narrow tortuous blackish lines ; primary wing 
 feathers brownish black, variegated on inner vanes towards 
 quills with lines or streaks of white ; secondaries pure white, 
 here and there dotted or finely streaked with black ; belly, 
 thighs, and under tail coverts finely banded black and white. 
 Tail slight rounded, the two centre feathers blackish gray, 
 and the rest blackish, or blackish gray and white in different 
 proportions, the latter particularly abundant in the two outer- 
 most ones of each side, and all, with the exception of the two 
 middle ones, are broadly tipt with white. Tarsi and toes 
 vermillion red ; claws black. Length from bill to base of 
 tail ten inches ; length of latter the same. 
 
 Female. Colors the same as those of the male, and in point 
 of size is but little superior to it. 
 
 Young. Bill blackish, with a little of the base of each 
 mandible yellow ; cere greenish yellow ; eyes grayish yellow, 
 inclined to pure yellow ; head, neck, and back brown, the 
 feathers of the two former white towards quills, whereby the 
 neck in particular, at times, appears much marked with the 
 latter color ; tail coverts white, with a triangular brown spot 
 near the tip of each; shoulders brown, with the feathers 
 edged and tipt with reddish white ; belly, thighs, and under 
 tail coverts marked with alternate broad irregular brown and 
 white bands ; primary wing coverts brown, tipt with white ; 
 primary wing feathers reddish brown, banded with black, and 
 the outer vanes tinted with gray ; secondaries bluish gray, 
 banded with black, and tipt with white ; tail with reddish 
 gray and blackish brown transverse bands ; the former four in 
 number ; legs and toes somewhat flesh colored ; claws black. 
 
 This Hawk is very generally distributed throughout the 
 whole of South Africa, and is particularly abundant along the 
 flats adjoining the western coast. It lives upon mice, lizards, 
 and the smaller birds ; makes its nest on trees ; construct it 
 externally with dried twigs, and internally with wool, and 
 lays two or three white eggs of nearly the size and shape of 
 those of the common domestic hen. 
 
 Obs. In the appendix to Denham and Clapperton's Travels 
 and Discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, p. 195, it is 
 stated that " this beautiful Hawk was met with occasionally in 
 most parts of Central Africa, but not in any abundance." It is 
 placed in the Genus Astur by the writer of the observation 
 just quoted, but the length of the tarsi and its general form, 
 appear to me to ally it more to the Accipiter. 
 (To l)e continued.) 
 
225 
 
 [FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL, 
 No. III., APRIL to JUNE 1830.] 
 
 A Description of the Birds inhabiting the South of 
 Africa. By ANDREW SMITH, M.D. Member of the 
 \Vernerian Natural History Society of Edinburgh; 
 Honorary Member of the Mineralogical Society of Jena, 
 &c. 
 
 [Continued from p. 120.] 
 
 ACCIPITER GABAR. Klein Spervel of the Colonists. 
 
 Falco Gabar, Shaw's Zoology, vol. 7, p. 202. Red-legged 
 Falcon, Latham's General History of Birds, vol. 1, p. 212. 
 Epervier Gabar, Daud. 2, p. 87. 
 
 A. capite, dorso, gula pectoreque ccesiis, abdomine et femoribus 
 nigro et albo transverse fasciatis ; remiges nigro-brunnece, pogo- 
 niis internis nigro-brunneo et sordido albo fasciatis ; cauda ni- 
 gro brunnea fasciis tribus subalbidis transversis notata t apices 
 plumarum albce. 
 
 Bill dark horn colored ; cere deep red ; eyes light crimson ; 
 head, neck, interscapular, back, and shoulders dirty brownish 
 or reddish gray ; chin, throat, sides of neck, and breast, light 
 bluish gray or pale slate color ; belly and thighs banded light- 
 ish black and clear white. Primary quill feathers nearly an 
 uniform dark brown on the outer vanes, whilst the inner ones 
 are marked by alternate bands of blackish brown and dirty 
 light white ; secondaries nearly similarly colored, and all tipt 
 with white. Tail slightly rounded, feathers brownish black, 
 crossed by three transverse bands which appear, when viewed 
 above, of a pale dusky white or grayish white, and, when 
 seen below, of a pure white ; the tips of all pure white ; legs 
 and toes red; claws horn coloured. Length from bill to base 
 of tail six inches ; length of latter six inches and a quarter. 
 
 Female. Length from bill to base of tail seven inches ; 
 length of latter seven and a half. The color of back, throat, 
 and breast less clear than in the male ; the black lines of the 
 belly rather broader, and the tarsi and toes of a duller yellow. 
 
 Young. Bill nearly as in mature specimens ; cere and 
 
 F f [27] 
 
226 A Description of the Birds 
 
 eyes yellow ; head and neck variegated blackish brown and 
 rufous, the latter most abundant on the sides of the last 
 named part ; interscapulars and back an uniform dark brown, 
 with the exception of some very slight variegations, occasioned 
 by many of the feathers being indistinctly tipt with rufous ; 
 shoulder feathers dark brown, tipt and edged more broadly 
 with light rufous; tail coverts white. Chin, throat, and breast 
 light rufous, more or less variegated by longitudinal stripes of 
 dark brown or blackish brown ; belly and thighs marked by 
 alternate narrow bands of dirty black and pale rufous ; pri- 
 mary and secondary quill feathers nearly as in old specimens ; 
 tail blackish brown, crossed by four white bands, besides each 
 feather having a white tip and some spots of a like color 
 near quill ; legs and toes yellow ; claws horn coloured. 
 
 This bird occurs, though not very abundantly, throughout 
 the whole of the known parts of South Africa. Le Vaillant 
 found a nest in the month of September, which contained 
 three young ones. It was constructed, externally, of small 
 flexible twigs ; internally, it was lined with feathers, and 
 occupied the cleft of a Mimosa tree. It is, perhaps, more 
 common about the banks of the Oliphant River, in the district 
 of Clan William, than in any other part of the colony. 
 
 ACCIPITER MINTJLLUS. 
 
 Falco Minullus, Latham. Le Minule, Le Vaillant Ois d'Afr. 
 pi 34. 
 
 A. supra, cceruleo-niger ; subtus, albus nigro-fusco fasciatus ; 
 crissum album maculis cordiformibus subnigris notatum ; remiges 
 nigro brunnece, pogoniis internis fasciatis ; rectrices ad apicem 
 albce et pogoniis internis tribus maculis albis notatis. 
 
 Male. Bill black ; cere yellow ; head, neck, and inter- 
 scapulars shining bluish black or deep slate color, with, in 
 some lights, a tinge of green ; back less shining, though of 
 the same color ; shoulders varied with light tints of olive ; 
 upper tail coverts white, with transverse blackish bands or 
 spots, the one nearest the tip of each feather somewhat tri- 
 angular. Chin and throat white, slightly mottled or indis- 
 tinctly rayed with brownish black ; breast and anterior part of 
 belly pure white, transversely rayed with close set brownish 
 black bands, sides of former, indeed sometimes of both, a 
 little tinged with rufous or tawny ; hinder part of belly and 
 under tail coverts also banded, but with the lines much more 
 apart. Primary and secondary wing coverts dark brown ; pri- 
 mary wing feathers brownish, the inner vanes banded trans- 
 versely with dusky black ; secondaries brownish, with the 
 exception of a little white on the inner edges of inner vanes, 
 which last are distinctly crossed by dusky black bands; insides 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 227 
 
 of shoulders light tawny, inclining to white, and variegated 
 with irregular narrow brownish lines. Tail slightly rounded, 
 with the outer vanes of all the feathers brownish black, 
 spotted or irregularly banded with reddish brown, and the 
 inner ones nearly pure black, and partially crossed by pure 
 white in three different places ; tips of all the feathers white ; 
 legs and toes yellow ; claws black. Length from bill to base 
 of tail five inches ; length of tail four and a half inches. 
 
 Female. The colors of the head, neck, and inter scapulars 
 are duller, and exhibit less lustre than those of the male. 
 Length from bill to base of tail about six inches and a half ; 
 length of latter five and a half. 
 
 Young. Color above blackish brown, much variegated 
 about the back and sides of neck with white, arising from the 
 feathers in those situations being, with the exception of 
 brown tips, of a white tinge ; interscapulars and shoulders 
 mottled by the feathers having rufous tips ; upper tail coverts 
 nearly marked as in mature specimens ; chin and throat light 
 tawny white, with some longitudinal brown streaks ; breast 
 and centre of belly white, with oblong or roundish brown or 
 black spots, and many of the feathers narrowly tipt with 
 white ; sides of belly white, with broad brown bands, and a 
 more or less general tinge of rufous ; under tail coverts white, 
 with some heart-shaped blackish spots ; thighs rufous white, 
 with irregular transverse brownish bands. Primary wing 
 feathers brownish, with the inner vanes towards quill marked 
 in a dentated form by tawny ; secondaries brown, with a large 
 proportion of tawny disposed as in the primaries, and with 
 the edges of outer vanes and the tips of the feathers marked 
 by the same color. Tail a little rounded, the outer vanes of all 
 the feathers dull brown, the inner ones dusky black and tawny 
 white in alternate transverse bands ; the tips of all the 
 feathers white ; legs, toes, and base of bill yellow ; claws 
 black ; " eyes orange yellow." 
 
 This bird is met with in the forests of Sitsikamma, and 
 also about the Baviaan's River, and other situations where 
 forests occur in the eastern districts of the colony. Its food 
 consists usually of the smaller birds, but when those are not 
 procurable it devours grasshoppers and some other insects. 
 According to Le Yaillant, it constructs its nest externally of 
 flexible twigs, together with moss and dried leaves, internally 
 with wool and feathers, and lays about five eggs. 
 
 Obs. It will readily be seen by those whose have an oppor- 
 tunity of consulting the beautiful work of Le Vaillant, that 
 the bird figured in it under the name " Le Minule," is what has 
 just been described as a young bird. The evidence I possess, 
 leaves no doubt as to its being the plumage of the first 
 
 [29] 
 
228 A Description of the Birds 
 
 year which he describes and represents ; and, therefore, forces 
 me to dissent from an authority I so much admire. 
 
 ACCIPITEB TACHIRO. 
 
 Speckled Sparrowhawk, Latham. Le Tachiro, Le Vaillant 
 Ois d'Afrique, pi. 29. 
 
 A. supra brunneus ; infra albus faciis nigro-brunneis trans- 
 versis variegatus. Remiges brunnece, pogoniis internis nigro 
 fasciatis et versus bases variegatis ; rectrices brunnece faciis 
 latis nigris notatce ; tarsi et digiti flavce. 
 
 Male. Bill bluish black, with a small yellowish spot on the 
 edge of the tooth of upper mandible, and another opposite it on 
 base of lower ; cere yellow ; front, crown, back of neck, in- 
 ter scapulars, back, upper tail coverts, and shoulders dull 
 brown ; the feathers of nape all white towards quills, thereby 
 giving rise, in certain position, to a mottled appearance. Chin 
 and throat pure white ; sides of neck white, with narrow 
 transverse brown bands ; breast and belly white, banded trans- 
 versely with brown, the bands few towards the middle, but 
 numerous on the sides ; under tail coverts white, irregularly 
 crossed by a few narrow brownish lines ; thighs tawny white, 
 with broadish transverse brown bands. Primary wing feathers 
 brown, banded on the inner vanes by black towards their 
 tips, and by black and nearly clear white towards quills ; 
 secondaries the same as primaries, with the exception of the 
 white being more abundant on the inner vanes. Tail slightly 
 rounded, of a light brown color, and crossed by four broad 
 blackish bands*, and the tips of all the feathers more or less 
 white ; legs and toes yellow ; claws black. Length from bill 
 to base of tail seven inches ; length of tail seven and a half 
 inches. 
 
 Female. Length from bill to base of tail nine inches ; 
 length of latter eight inches ; body considerably larger than 
 in the male, and the colors similarly disposed as in it, only 
 they are of a duller tint. 
 
 Young. Above brown, but of a lighter tint than in mature 
 specimens, and the feathers of the back and shoulders edged 
 and tipt with clear rufous ; chin and throat tawny white, the 
 former with a longitudinal black streak towards its centre ; 
 breast and belly tawny white or pure tawny, and each feather 
 marked in the middle by a large oval or oblong blackish spot ; 
 under tail coverts tawny white, variegated by cordiform or 
 
 * It will often be observed that in the same bird the number of bands are 
 not alike in all the tail feathers, particularly about the moulting season, 
 which will generally be found to arise from old and new ones existing in the 
 same specimen. 
 
 [30] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 229 
 
 roundish dusky blotches ; thighs rufous, with transverse 
 brown bands or irregular cordiform or roundish spots. Pri- 
 mary wing feathers dirty brown, inner vanes banded towards 
 tips by black, and towards quills by white and black ; secon- 
 daries brown, with the inner vanes banded by black, and 
 their edges irregularly and broadly marked by white, the outer 
 edges and tips rufous. Tail slightly rounded, with four broad 
 blackish transverse bands, and the spaces between these 
 tawny or rufous, tips of all the feathers whitish ; legs and toes 
 greenish yellow ; claws black. The colors of the male and 
 female are nearly alike, and there exists the same difference 
 in size between them when young as when old. 
 
 Le Vaillant found this bird in the forests of Auteniqualand, 
 and I have seen several which were killed in the eastern dis- 
 tricts of the colony, as well as in Cafferland. Its nest, ac- 
 cording to the author just named, is placed upon trees, and 
 constructed externally of small twigs and moss, and internally 
 of feathers. From some small portions of shell which he 
 found about a nest, he considered the eggs as white, with red 
 spots. In the nest itself, as well as on the branches of the 
 tree on which it was placed, were found the remains of grass- 
 hoppers, &c. 
 
 Obs. Though " Le Tachiro," as figured in the work upon 
 African birds is considered by its author as an adult specimen, 
 yet I have every reason to be satisfied that it is only the 
 young of the species just described. 
 
 ACCIPITER MELANOLEUEUS. 
 
 A. niger ; remiges nigrce, pogoniis internis albo maculatis 
 aut fasciatis ; cauda sordido-fusca fasciis transversis nigris 
 quatuor. 
 
 Bill black, with the exception of the tooth of the upper 
 mandible, and a small portion of the lower directly opposite it, 
 which are yellowish ; cere yellowish ; color above black, with 
 a faint tint of brown, beneath pure deep black ; primary and 
 secondary wing coverts black ; primary wing feathers black, 
 with their inner vanes towards quills spotted, or irregularly 
 banded with white ; secondaries dusky brown clouded with 
 black, and the inner vanes spotted with white; scapulars 
 brown, with some white blotches on both vanes. Tail slightly 
 rounded, with four broad black transverse bands, the in- 
 termediate spaces dirty tawny brown, and the outer vane 
 of the outermost feather of each side with some oblique short 
 white stripes towards quill, and internally with white 
 blotches ; the two next with blotches on the inner vanes, and 
 the centre ones without such marks ; legs and toes greenish 
 
 [31] 
 
230 A Description of the Birds 
 
 yellow ; claws black. Length from bill to base of tail eleven 
 inches ; length of latter nearly the same*. 
 
 Young. Bill nearly as in mature specimens ; head rufous, 
 with the centres of all the feathers black ; back and sides of 
 neck similarly marked, but the spots largest on the former, 
 whereby the latter exhibits a greater proportion of rufous ; 
 interscapulars, back, shoulders, and tail coverts brown, the 
 latter broadly tipt with rufous ; the feathers of the back and 
 shoulders with narrow edgings and tips of the same color. 
 Chin and throat tawny, variegated by a few black longitu- 
 dinal streaks; breast and belly similarly colored, but the 
 streaks considerably larger and more numerous ; under tail 
 coverts and thighs tawny, without, or with but very few 
 variegations. Primary and secondary wing coverts brown, 
 tipt with tawny; primary wing feathers dark brown, the 
 inner vanes towards tips banded with black, and towards 
 quills with black and white or pale tawny; secondaries 
 brown, banded with black on their inner vanes, and mottled 
 towards the edges of latter with tawny white, all the tips 
 tawny. Tail slightly rounded, each feather with four or five 
 transverse bands of black, and between these brown, finely 
 mottled with white, some of the black bands are, in some 
 specimens, somewhat arrow-shaped, and have a line of tawny 
 white on the edge most distant from the body. Instead of an 
 uniform brown between the black bands, there is, in several 
 of the lateral feathers a mixture of white, either in the form 
 of blotches or partial bands, the tips of all the feathers are 
 tawny white ; legs and toes greenish yellow ; claws black. 
 The only specimen of this species which I have seen ex- 
 hibiting the mature plumage was shot on the Baviaans River, 
 and the two young ones which I have had the means of com- 
 paring with it, were killed near Wynberg. 
 
 Obs. Though there are many and strong points of simi- 
 larity between the three specimens just viewed as belonging 
 to the same species, yet there are some others also, which 
 warrant the existence of doubt ; and, therefore, till more satis- 
 factory evidence can be obtained, the fact of identity or non- 
 identity must remain undecided. The great approximation, 
 however, does not appear to me to sanction their being 
 described as two species, more particularly as two out of the 
 three are decidedly young, and not referable to any other 
 species I have yet met with here. 
 
 * As the history of the bird described is not well known, I have purposely 
 avoided referring it to either sex, though a minute comparison with two 
 young specimens would incline me to view it as a female. 
 
 [32] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 231 
 
 ACCIPITEB EUFIVENTBI9. 
 
 A. supra brunneus; infra subfulvus ; remiges brunnece, 
 pogoniis internis nigro fasciatis, cauda fuscis quinque nigris et 
 quatuor cceruleo-griseis notata. 
 
 Falco rufiventris, Latham's History of Birds, vol. 1, p. 284. 
 Daud. Orn. torn. 2, p. 86. Epervier bleuatre, Voy. d'Azara, 
 3, No. 26. 
 
 Male. Bill, with the exception of a small yellow spot near 
 base of upper mandible, and another opposite it on the lower, 
 black; head, hinder part of neck, back, upper tail coverts, 
 and shoulders brown, with a tinge of deep slate color, which 
 is particularly strong soon after moulting; sides of neck, 
 chin, throat, breast, anterior part of belly, and thighs light 
 rufous, the three first the palest ; hinder part of belly dirty 
 white, banded transversely with rufous ; under tail coverts 
 white. Primary wing feathers dirty brown, the inner vanes 
 banded with black, and towards quill marked on their inner 
 edges between the bands by pure white ; secondaries brown, 
 with the inner vanes banded with dusky black, and varied 
 with white in the same situations as the primaries. Tail 
 slightly rounded, and marked by five broad transverse bands 
 of dusky black, and four of a dusky or pure bluish gray, tips 
 of all the feathers white ; legs and toes yellow ; claws black. 
 Length from bill to base of tail five inches and a half; length 
 of tail four and a half. 
 
 Female. Length from bill to base of tail seven inches ; 
 length of tail seven inches ; colors more dull above, and 
 rather deeper beneath. 
 
 Young. Color above brown, without the dark slate tint of 
 the mature bird, and varied particularly about the shoulders, 
 head, neck, &c. by each feather being narrowly edged with 
 rufous ; legs pale yellow ; claws dark horn colored. 
 
 This species occurs along the South-east coast and to some 
 very considerable distance inland, at least I have seen several 
 specimens from the neighbourhood of Baviaans River, and 
 from the country towards the southern branches of the Orange 
 River; I have also seen examples of the same bird which 
 were killed near Constantia, and between that and Cape Town. 
 
 Obs. This appears to agree with the description of the 
 Falco rufiventris of Shaw ; and, though he describes his bird 
 as being a native of Cayenne, it might possibly have been 
 obtained from the Cape, or the species may be an inhabitant 
 of both countries. 
 
 F [33] 
 
232 A Description of the Birds 
 
 Stirps. FALCONINA. (FALCONS.) 
 
 Rostrum breve a bad aduncum ; alee longce ; remex secunda 
 longissima. 
 
 Beak short, hooked from the base ; wings long j the second 
 quill feather longest. 
 
 Genus. FALCO Auctorum. FALCON. 
 
 Beak short, the upper man- 
 dible strongly dentate, the 
 under e mar ginate. Acrotarsia 
 reticulated. Wings with the 
 second quill longest, the first 
 and second strongly emargi- 
 nate internally near the tip. 
 
 Hostrum breve ; mandibula 
 tuperior fortiter dentata, infe- 
 riore emarginata. Acrotarsia 
 reticulata. Eemex secunda 
 longissima, prima et secunda 
 prope apicem interne fortiter 
 emarginata. 
 
 FALCO FRONTALIS. Daud. 
 
 Falcogalericulatus, Shaw, vol. 7, p. 149. Le Faucon Huppe, 
 Le Vaillant, Ois d'Afrig. pi 28. 
 
 F. cristatus, crista brunnea, dorsum plumbeum et plumce li- 
 neis longitudinalibus nigris ; subtus albo, flavescens et fasciis 
 brunneo nigris transversis notatus ; cauda grisea, nigro fasciata. 
 
 Male. Bill bluish at base, and black at tip ; cere yellow ; 
 eyes orange yellow; head crested, the latter of a brownish 
 color ; behind the angle of the mouth on each side a longitu- 
 dinal blackish brown streak or blotch ; black bluish gray, the 
 feathers each with a dark streak in the course of the vane, 
 and with transverse dusky bands, besides light bluish white 
 edgings and tips ; sides of neck dirty white, with a slight 
 tinge of tawny ; chin and throat tawny white ; breast and 
 belly the same, and crossed by narrow black bands, as are 
 also the feathers of the thighs. Primary quill feathers black- 
 ish ; secondaries deep bluish gray, with blackish transverse 
 bands, and all broadly tipt with the same color as the back. 
 Tail grayish, with seven or eight transverse narrow black, 
 bands, and all the feathers tipt with light grayish white ; legs 
 and toes yellowish ; claws black. Size that of the common 
 pigeon. 
 
 Female. Crest shorter than that of the male, and her size 
 nearly a fourth larger. 
 
 Toung. All the colors exhibit somewhat of a yellowish 
 tinge, and the dirty white of the chin, throat, and breast is 
 variegated with red and grayish brown ; the crest does not 
 appear till some months after it leaves the nest. 
 
 This bird inhabits the borders of lakes, the sea shore, and 
 the banks of rivers abounding with fish ; which last, together 
 
 [34] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 233 
 
 with crabs, forms its favorite food. It builds its nest amongst 
 rocks, or on trees upon the banks of rivers, and lays four 
 eggs of a whitish red color. 
 
 FALCO TIBIALIS. Shaw. 
 
 Le Faucon a culotte noire, Le Vaillant, Ois d'Afriq. pi. 29. 
 
 F. griseo-fuscus ; gula alba, ; corpore subtus rufescente striis 
 longitudinalibus nigro-bnmneis, femoribus fasciis longitudina- 
 libus nigris. 
 
 Male. Bill yellow at base, horn colored elsewhere ; cere 
 yellow ; eyes bright hazel ; head blackish brown ; interscapu- 
 lars and shoulders grayish brown, with a deeper colored 
 streak along the middle of each feather ; throat white ; breast, 
 belly, arid under tail coverts reddish white, with brown 
 blotches, which are smaller behind than before ; thighs 
 blackish brown, with the feathers edged and tipt with 
 whitish. Primary wing feathers and tail also blackish brown, 
 with whitish edgings and tips ; tarsi feathered to within a 
 little distance of the toes ; bare part yellow, as are also the 
 toes ; claws black ; wings, when folded, considerably shorter 
 than tail. Size between that of the Accipiter Musicus and 
 the last described species. 
 
 Le Vaillant killed a male, of which the foregoing is the 
 description, while feeding upon a young hare, which it had 
 just killed on the mountains of Great Namaqualand ; and he 
 says he was informed that the same species was very common 
 on the Sneeuwbergen, in the District of G-raaff-Eeinet. 
 
 Obs. Though the shortness of the wings, and the partially 
 feathered tarsi, might appear to establish this as a separate 
 species from the last, yet there are many circumstances which 
 suggest the identity of the two, and that the present is the 
 description of a young bird. As I have neither met with the 
 one nor the other, the descriptions given are copied nearly 
 verbatim from Le Vaillant. 
 
 FALCO CHIQTJEEOIDES. 
 
 F. capite rufo, nigro variegato ; dorso et humeris griseis, li- 
 niis obscuris transversis fasciatis ; duabus fasciis longitudinalibus 
 sub oculos ; infra subfulvus aut rubro-albus ; remigibus brunneis 
 pogoniis internis maculis subfulvis notatis ; cauda subgrisea 
 fasciis decem aut undecim transversis nigris, et apicibus plu- 
 marum albis. 
 
 Male. Bill bluish, with shades of black, and the base of 
 the lower mandible yellow ; cere yellow ; eyes dark brown ; 
 
 o g [35] 
 
234 ^ Description of the Birds 
 
 front and anterior part of crown black, rest of crown and nape 
 rufous, the last with some dark variegations, or a transverse 
 black band extending from the black of the cheeks ; back of 
 neck, interscapulars, back, upper tail coverts, and shoulders 
 hoary bluish gray, with dark slate colored or blackish blue 
 transverse bands ; from the eye, on each side, extends a black 
 stripe as far as the nape, and another from each angle of the 
 mouth for a short way down the side of the neck ; sides of 
 latter pale tawny white, which is also the color of the chin, 
 throat, breast, belly, under tail coverts, and thighs. Primary 
 and secondary wing coverts hoary blue, with dusky grayish 
 white transverse bands ; primary wing feathers brownish, 
 with the inner vanes, for the greater part of their length, 
 partially crossed by somewhat conical white spots ; seconda- 
 ries the same ; tail hoary white, with ten or eleven moderate- 
 ly-broad black bands, and the intermediate spaces thinly 
 sprinkled with minute brownish black dots or lines ; tips of the 
 feathers all white ; legs and toes yellow ; claws black. Length 
 from bill to base of tail eight inches ; length of latter seven 
 inches. 
 
 Female. Length from bill to base of tail nine inches and 
 a half ; length of tail seven inches and a half ; front, and 
 nearly all the crown black ; the two black bands on sides of 
 head less deep, and smaller than in the male ; the rufous of 
 head less clear, and the back with its colors duller, and its 
 transverse bands more inclined to brownish black. 
 
 Young. Head rufous, with the front and nape a little 
 variegated with black ; back of neck and interscapulars 
 blackish, with the feathers finely tipt with rufous ; back, 
 upper tail coverts, and shoulders blackish brown, with the 
 feathers all broadly tipt with rufous ; the black stripes on 
 sides of head less strongly marked than in full grown 
 specimens ; sides of the neck rufous ; chin and throat tawny 
 white ; breast and anterior part of belly pale rufous, with a 
 roundish or oviform black blotch towards the middle of each 
 feather ; hinder part of belly, under tail coverts, and thighs 
 pale rufous, without variegations. Primary and secondary 
 wing coverts blackish brown, clearly tipt with rufous ; pri- 
 mary wing feathers blackish, with the inner vanes marked 
 by transverse oviform pale tawny spots, the extremities of 
 which neither reach their shafts nor inner edges; all the 
 feathers finely tipt with light rufous ; secondaries similarly 
 colored, marked as the primaries, and all broadly tipt with 
 rufous. Tail blackish, with seven or eight irregular transverse 
 rufous bands, and all the feathers broadly tipt with the last 
 color ; bill bluish green, with shades of black, and the lower 
 mandible with a very faint tinge of greenish yellow at base ; 
 
 [361 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 235 
 
 cere dusky greenish yellow ; eyes dark brown ; legs and toes 
 yellowish white ; claws a dark horn color. 
 
 Specimens of this hawk are not unfrequently found along 
 the western coast, and I have also met with some about the 
 Langekloof, at least three hundred miles to the eastward of 
 Cape Town. In those situations it is often seen resorting, in 
 the evenings, to the poplar and other trees in the vicinity of 
 farm-houses, and upon such also it often builds its nest. The 
 latter is constructed externally of dry twigs, and within of 
 hair and feathers, and in it are deposited from three to four 
 eggs, during the months of August or September. It preys 
 on small birds, young hares, &c., and, when in search of such, 
 or in defence of its young, it evinces a most amazing degree 
 of ferocity and courage. 
 
 FALCO PEREGEJNOLDES. 
 
 F. capite saturate cceseo, dorso subgriseo fasciis trans- 
 versis nigris notato ; macula nigra sub oculum ; gula alba ; 
 pectore albo striis longitudinalibus nigris variegato ; abdomine 
 griseo maculis striis et fasciis transversis nigris variegato ; 
 tarsis et digitis flavis. 
 
 Male. Bill blackish at tip, orange yellow at base of lower 
 mandible, and bluish green elsewhere ; cere yellow ; eyes 
 dark brown ; front, crown, and nape dark grayish blue, with 
 each feather marked by a narrow longitudinal black streak 
 towards its centre ; back of neck blackish, with the feathers 
 tipt by dark bluish gray; interscapulars dark bluish gray, 
 with transverse narrow dusky black bands ; black light gray, 
 with black bands ; upper tail coverts the same ; shoulders 
 bluish gray, with more or less distinct dusky bands ; under 
 each eye, and commencing at base of bill a black irregular 
 blotch; side of the neck, chin, and throat white; breast 
 white, or slightly tinted with tawny, and variegated by fine 
 black longitudinal streaks ; belly pale bluish gray, with small 
 black spots, streaks, or transverse short bands ; under tail 
 coverts tawny white, with narrow black transverse bands. 
 Primary and secondary wing coverts a deep tawny slate color, 
 with narrow white tips ; primary wing feathers blackish, 
 with a tinge of hoary, which is most distinct upon the outer 
 vanes ; inner vanes with many transverse oviform white 
 blotches ; tips white ; secondaries blackish, with the inner 
 vanes mottled or distinctly banded with white ; tips, and a 
 little of edges of outer vanes, white : scapulars grayish, each 
 with a narrow longitudinal black streak towards the middle, 
 and with several blackish transverse bands crossing it. Tail 
 bluish gray, with about ten transverse narrow black bands, 
 and all the feathers broadly tipt with white ; the spaces be- 
 
 [37] 
 
236 A Description of the Birds 
 
 tween bands also finely, and some, at least, closely mottled 
 with black ; legs and toes yellow ; claws black. Length from 
 bill to base of tail eight inches ; length of latter five inches. 
 
 Female. Length from bill to base of tail nine inches 
 length of latter six inches ; the bluish colors are darker ; the 
 blotch on the side of the head is not of so deep a black ; and 
 the white of the under parts is less pure. 
 
 Young. Base of lower mandible with a slight tinge of 
 yellow, rest of bill bluish black ; cere yellow ; eyes brown ; 
 head blackish brown, feathers finely edged and tipt with 
 rufous ; nape and back of neck variegated blackish brown 
 and tawny white ; lower part of neck behind, together with 
 the interscapulars, deep blackish brown, with all the feathers 
 tipt with rufous ; back feathers black, with rufous tips. 
 Upper tail coverts banded brown and tawny ; shoulders black- 
 ish brown, the feathers tipt with rufous ; blotch or streak 
 under the eye blackish brown, and smaller than in old birds ; 
 chin and throat pure white ; breast and belly tawny, with 
 the feathers variegated by oblong black spots, which are largest 
 on the flanks, in which situations they sometimes con- 
 tain a light colored spot towards the centre of the black; 
 many of the variegations on the thighs are somewhat arrow- 
 shaped ; under tail coverts tawny, with arrow-shaped black 
 spots. Primary and secondary wing coverts blackish brown, 
 with shades of bluish gray, and the inner vanes spotted with 
 tawny or rufous ; primary wing feathers blackish brown, with 
 the inner vanes nearly crossed by rufous oviform blotches, 
 and all finely tipt with white ; secondaries marked in the same 
 way, but with the proportion of white at tips a little greater. 
 Tail browish black, with seven or eight transverse narrow 
 rufous bands, which extend directly across some of the 
 feathers, and only partially in others, tips white ; legs and 
 toes greenish yellow ; claws black. 
 
 The majority of the specimens of this falcon, which I have 
 seen, were killed near Cape Town, particularly about Wyn- 
 berg and Constantia. I have also seen one which was ob- 
 tained near Uitenhage, and have been told that it occurs not 
 unfrequently in that part of the colony. Those that were 
 procured near Cape Town exhibited the remains of small birds, 
 rats, lizards, &c. in their stomachs. 
 
 Obs. The first specimen of this species which I obtained 
 exhibited an immature plumage, and, from the general ap- 
 pearances, I set it down, without hesitation, as the young of 
 the Falco Peregrinus. More extended observations have, 
 however, now induced me to view it as different, and to place 
 it next to that, from the great similarity there exists between 
 them. I am much afraid we are too anxious to discover iden- 
 [38] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 237 
 
 titles ; and the search after such is materially retarding the 
 advance of the science. It is much easier to get rid of a 
 name than to detect the existence of two species, when em- 
 bodied in one description, and therefore it appears to me 
 best, when a doubt can justly exist as to identity, to consider 
 the objects, especially if their habitats be very apart, as dis- 
 tinct species. 
 
 FALCO BTJPICOLUS. Daud. Eoodevalk. Steenvalk of the 
 Colonists. 
 
 Falco capensis, Shaw, vol. 7, p. 192. Le Montagnard, Le 
 Vaillant Ois. d'Afrique, pi. 35. 
 
 F. capite saturate cceruleo-griseo, dorso et humeris rufia 
 nigro maculatis ; gula alba ; pectore, rufo lineis longitudinalibus 
 nigris variegato, abdomine rufo maculis nigris notato ; remi- 
 gibus subnigris, pogoniis internis albo lineatis, cauda rotun- 
 data, grisea fasciis nigris transversis variegata. 
 
 Male. Bill bluish black towards tip, bluish white at base ; 
 cere yellow; eyes brown; head, together with the back 
 and sides of neck, dark slate color, with each feather marked 
 along the centre by a longitudinal slender black streak ; in- 
 terscapulars and back deep rufous, with small black spots or 
 longitudinal streaks ; shoulders and scapulars deep rufous, 
 with irregular or somewhat triangular black spots ; chin 
 tawny ; breast rufous, variegated with longitudinal black 
 lines ; belly rufous, with black spots ; vent and thighs tawny, 
 without variegations. Primary and secondary wing coverts 
 black, with irregular tawny white transverse bands ; primary 
 wing feathers black, with the inner vanes nearly completely 
 crossed by numerous white indentations ; secondaries blackish, 
 with both vanes crossed by irregular rufous bands. Tail dark 
 bluish gray, with seven or eight black bands, all very narrow, 
 except the last, which is nearly an inch in width ; on the 
 three outermost feathers of each side the black only appears 
 upon the inner vanes, but on the rest it crosses both ; all the 
 feathers are broadly tipt with white ; legs and toes yellow ; 
 claws black. Length from bill to base of tail six inches and 
 a half ; length of tail five inches. 
 
 Female. Length from bill to base of tail eight inches ; 
 length of latter six inches ; head brownish gray ; back tawny 
 rufous, with the variegations less numerous than in the male ; 
 chin and throat tawny white ; breast and belly tawny brown, 
 the former with longitudinal black streaks, and the latter 
 with similar colored spots. In other respects nearly the same 
 as the male. 
 
 [39] 
 
238 -4 Description of the Birds 
 
 Young. Head and neck rufous tawny, with indistinct longi- 
 tudinal black streaks ; back and shoulders light rufous, with 
 large irregular or triangular black spots ; chin nearly white ; 
 throat light tawny rufous, with irregular streaks like those on 
 the head ; belly with the same ground color as breast, and 
 streaked or spotted in front, but behind like the vent and thighs, 
 without variegations ; wing feathers all distinctly tipt with 
 white, with the black tinge stronger, and the yellow of the 
 feet, toes, and cere is less clear. 
 
 This hawk occurs very frequently in all parts of the colony, 
 as well as in the country both to the eastward and northward 
 of it. When in search of its prey it is generally seen soaring 
 about in open country, but when disposed to rest it retreats 
 towards mountains or rocky knowls, and there passes the 
 night. In such situations, also, it constructs its nest, which 
 it forms externally with dried twigs, and internally with hair 
 and feathers : according to Le Vaillant, the eggs are of a 
 rufous colour, and often six or eight are found in the same 
 nest. It feeds upon the smaller quadrupeds, lizards, &c. 
 
 FALCO EUPICOLOIDES. 
 
 F. supra, subfulvus, capite colloque in longum nigro lineatis 
 dorso et humeris fasciis brunneis transversis latis ; infra flavo- 
 albus, pectore lineis longitudinalibus nigris variegatis ; abdomine 
 lineis nigris aut maculis et hypochondriis fasciis transversis 
 nigris ; remigibus snbnigris pogoniis internis albo denticulatis ; 
 cauda grisea-alba sex aut septem fasciis nigris transversis 
 notata. 
 
 Female. Bill bluish black at tips, yellow at base of lower 
 mandible, and bluish white elsewhere ; cere dusky yellow ; 
 eyes a grayish sand color ; head and neck tawny yellow ; each 
 feather with a narrow longitudinal black streak along its 
 centre ; inter scapulars, back, and shoulders with a clear tinge 
 of rufous, and the feathers crossed by broad dark brown 
 bands, the tips all tawny yellow ; tail coverts dirty white, 
 with broad brown bands ; inside of shoulders white, with 
 here and there a minute black streak ; sides of neck tawny 
 yellow, varied by longitudinal black streaks ; breast and belly 
 tawny yellow, with the former marked by black longitudinal 
 streaks, and the latter by streaks or roundish spots towards 
 the centre, and by transverse blackish bands on the sides ; 
 thighs tawny ; under tail coverts yellowish white. Primary 
 and secondary wing coverts pale fulvous, with transverse 
 black bands ; primary wing feathers blackish, and the inner 
 vanes with many white serratures or indentations ; seconda- 
 ries brownish black, with transverse fulvous bands upon 
 both vanes, and all tipt with dirty white. Tail slightly rounded, 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 
 
 239 
 
 grayish white, with six or seven broad transverse black 
 bands ; all the feathers broadly tipt with white ; legs and toes 
 yellowish ; claws black. Length from bill to base of tail nine 
 inches ; length of latter seven inches. 
 
 The only specimen of this species which I have seen, was 
 killed on the banks of the Groene river, in little Namaqua- 
 land. In manners it resembles the last described species, and 
 was observed to resort during the night to similar situations. 
 
 GENUS. BUTEO, Auctorum. BUZZARD 
 
 Rostrum mediocre, subdebile ; 
 nares subrotundatce. Tarsi 
 breves ; acrotarsia scutellata, 
 Hemex quarta longissima. 
 
 Beak mediocral, rather weak; 
 nostrils somewhat rounded. 
 Tarsi short ; acrotarsia scutel- 
 lated. Fourth quill longest. 
 
 BUTEO JACKAL. Jakhalsvogel of the Colonists. 
 
 Falco Jackal, Shaw, vol. 7, p. 173. Le Eounoir, Le Vail- 
 lant, p. 73, pi. 16. 
 
 B. supra nigricans, gula nigra ; pectore caudaque rufis ; a&- 
 domine nigra albo lineato, tarsis flavis. 
 
 Male. Bill black, with the exception of a little of the 
 lower mandible at its base, which, with the cere, is a dull 
 yellow ; eyes dark brown ; head, neck, back, and shoulders 
 black, or blackish brown ; chin and throat of the same color ; 
 breast deep chesnut or ferruginous red; belly, under tail 
 coverts, and thighs black, all the feathers broadly tipt with 
 white or ferruginous red. Primary and secondary wing 
 coverts black ; primary wing feathers black, with a tint of 
 hoary upon the outer vanes, and the inner ones towards 
 quills broadly edged with, if not altogether, white ; seconda- 
 ries bluish gray, with many transverse narrow black bands, 
 the very tips of some of the feathers are white, and in all, 
 immediately behind that, an inch or an inch and a half of 
 uniform clear black. Tail short, nearly even, and deep ches- 
 nut or ferruginous red, each feather marked by a black 
 blotch close to tip, and all more or less mottled with white 
 towards quills ; legs and toes dull yellow ; claws dark horn 
 colored. Length from bill to base of tail twelve inches ; 
 length of latter eight inches. 
 
 Female. Size rather greater than that of the male ; and, 
 if any thing, the colors are less deep and clear; and the 
 extent of red below is usually greater. 
 
 Young. Bill black, with a very slight appearance of yellow 
 at base of lower mandible ; cere dull yellow ; eyes grayish 
 brown ; head, neck, back, and shoulders dark brown ; most 
 
 G [41] 
 
240 -4 Description of the Birds. 
 
 of them with blackish brown centres, and tawny edges and 
 tips. Below pale tawny or clear chesnut, with the throat 
 and 'sides of the neck marked by longitudinal black blotches ; 
 primary wing feathers black, with more or less of a hoary 
 tinge upon outer vanes ; secondaries blackish brown, with the 
 inner vanes broadly edged towards quills with grayish white ; 
 tail reddish gray, with each feather crossed by ten or eleven 
 narrow blackish transverse bands, and with a reddish white 
 tip ; the inner vanes towards quills nearly pure white. When 
 viewed below the whole of the feathers appear nearly of an 
 uniform white. Length of tail eight inches. 
 
 This species occurs throughout the whole of the colony, 
 and also, at least to a considerable distance, beyond it. It is 
 usually seen in the vicinity of inhabitated places, and generally 
 resorts to trees or bushes about such spots, to rest during the 
 night. The male and female are most commonly seen 
 together, or at least in the same neighbourhood. Their food 
 consists of the smaller quadrupeds, birds, lizards, &c. and 
 they very often prove destructive to the poultry of the Afri- 
 can colonists. The female builds her nest upon trees com- 
 monly at no great distance from the resorts of man ; construct 
 it externally of dry twigs, leaves, &c., internally of feathers, 
 hair, and such like materials, and lays from three to four eggs, 
 which are about the size of those of the common domestic 
 hen. 
 
 Obs. As scarcely any two specimens of this buzzard ex- 
 hibit even nearly the same tints or distribution of colors, it is 
 difficult to give such a description as will enable the reader 
 to detect the bird if found in the intermediate stages between 
 youth and maturity, when the diversities are most strikingly 
 exhibited. In specimens a little advanced, the most ready 
 means of detecting the species will be a reference to the tail ; 
 which, in all, after a certain age, has the ground color of a 
 deep chesnut or ferruginous red; and each feather either 
 marked by a black blotch near the tip, or by transverse 
 black bands. When less advanced, the ground color, though 
 it be not as just described, yet evidently inclines to that, and 
 exhibits, particularly towards the quill, a strong ferruginous 
 tinge. The inner vanes of the feathers, particularly towards 
 quills, will also be found to have a considerable share of 
 white, more or less pure, and the whole of the under parts 
 of the body to be of a rufous or tawny tint, of different depth 
 in different parts ; and only, if at all, variegated by irregular 
 blackish or brownish black blotches. 
 
 BUTEO LAQOPUS. 
 
 Falco Lagopus, Gmel Syst. 1, p. 260, sp. bS.Lath. Ind. 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 241 
 
 Orn. vol. 1, p. 19. Merey Tasschenb. Deut. vol. 1, p. 37. 
 Falco Olumipes, Daud. Orn. Falco Selavonicus, Lath. Ind. 
 vol. 1, p. 26, sp. 54. Buse Gantee, Le Vaill. Ois. d'Afrique, 
 vol. I, pi. 18. 
 
 (To be continued.) 
 
 [43] 
 
380 A Description of the Birds 
 
 [FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL, 
 No. IV., JULY to SEPTEMBEB 1830.] 
 
 A Description of the Birds inhabiting the South of 
 Africa. By ANDREW SMITH, M.D. Member of the 
 Wernerian Natural History Society of Edinburgh; 
 Honorary Member of the Mineralogical Society of Jena, 
 &c. 
 
 [Continued from p. 241.] 
 BUTEO LAGOPTJS.* 
 
 Falco Lagopus, Gmel. Syst. 1, p. 260, sp. 58. Lath. Ind. 
 Orn. vol. 1, p. 19. Merey Tasschenb. Deut. vol. 1, p. 37. 
 Falco Plumipes, Daud. Orn. Falco Sclavonics, Lath. Ind. 
 vol. 1, p. 26, sp. 54 Buse Grantee, Le Vaill. Ois. d'Afrique, 
 vol. I, pi. 18. 
 
 B. fuscus ex albido vario rectricibus fuscis hasi dimidia 
 apice que albis ; cera pedibusque luteis. 
 
 Male. Head, upper part of neck, throat, breast, and thighs, 
 whitish yellow, variegated with large oblong brown streaks ; 
 interscapulars, wing coverts, and back, brownish black, each 
 feather with a yellowish red edging ; a large transverse band 
 or blotch of deep brown on the posterior part of belly ; rump 
 and under tail coverts whitish yellow. Tail white towards 
 base, elsewhere uniform brown, with all the feathers termi- 
 nated by dirty white ; legs feathered as far as the toes ; the 
 latter and eyes brown ; cere yellow ; bill black. The male 
 measures nineteen inches, and the female two feet three 
 inches. 
 
 The female has less white upon the head, the neck, and the 
 
 * In consequence of an error in the printing department, the name and 
 synonymes of this bird were made to finish that portion of the communica- 
 tion, descriptive of the Birds inhabiting the South of Africa, which appeared 
 in our last number, even without having undergone the common typogra- 
 phical corrections. 
 
 [44] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 381 
 
 tail ; more brown upon the belly and sides ; the thighs and 
 tarsi have a greater proportion of white ; and the inter scapu- 
 lars are edged with yellowish white. 
 
 Varies according to age, being in different specimens more 
 or less spotted with brown, more or less varied on the upper 
 parts with white, with a more or less distinct white stripe 
 over eyes, and with brown and white more or less irregularly 
 dispersed on the breast. The greater part of the belly is often 
 white, and variegated by some small brown spots ; the feathers 
 of the thighs rayed transversely, and the tail, towards ex- 
 tremity, with three transverse bands, the first of which, or 
 that next the base, is broadest ; iris a beautiful yellow. 
 
 Le Vaillant only found this species amongst the woods of 
 Antiqualand. He says it is more ferocious than the other 
 African species of the genus, that it avoids inhabited places, 
 and lives quite isolated. Its flight is rapid ; and it often 
 destroys partridges by suddenly pouncing upon them from the 
 top of a tree, where it places itself to observe their mo- 
 tions. As I have only met with one bird resembling that just 
 described, and had not the opportunity of examining it for 
 more than a few minutes, I cannot pretend to say that it was 
 actually the booted buzzard of Europe. As both Cuvier and 
 Temnrink consider the bird figured by Le Vaillant under the 
 name of " Buse Gantee," as identical with the Falco (Buteo) 
 Lagopus of Linnaeus, I have preferred giving the description 
 of it by the latter author, to furnishing from my own notes 
 what could only be a very imperfect detail. 
 
 BUTEO TACHARDTJS. 
 
 Falco Tachardus, Daud. Le Tachard, Le Vaillant Ois. 
 d'Afrique, pi. 19. 
 
 B. supra brunneus, subflavo aut rubro-albo variegatus ; subtus 
 albus, striis et maculis brunneis notatis ; femoribus plerumque 
 rubr o -brunneis ; cera et tarsis flams; oculis brunneis; rostro 
 nigro ; flavo maculato. 
 
 Male. Bill black, with the base of lower mandible, and a 
 small portion of the under adjoining it, yellow ; cere yellow ; 
 eyes brown ; head, neck, back, and rump brown, with the 
 edges and tips of the feathers light grayish brown, or reddish 
 yellow, and the bases of many of them, particularly on the 
 head and neck, white ; also many of those of neck, back, and 
 shoulders clouded, spotted, or crossed by irregular white 
 streaks ; under parts white, with the throat streaked by nar- 
 row longitudinal brown lines, and the breast and posterior 
 part of belly more or less spotted with oblong or roundish 
 brown blotches ; thighs dirty reddish brown. Primary quill 
 feathers black, with the exception of the inner vanes towards 
 quills, which are white : secondaries brown, with blackish ir- 
 
 [45] 
 
382 A Description of the Birds 
 
 regular transverse bands, and the edges of the inner vanes 
 white. Tail moderately long, slightly rounded, of a dirty 
 grayish color, with ten or more narrow waved transverse 
 blackish brown bands ; tip of each feather dirty reddish white. 
 Legs and toes greenish yellow ; claws black. Length from 
 bill to base of tail eleven inches; length of latter seven 
 inches and a quarter. Wings, when folded, as long as the tail. 
 
 Young. Above brown, verging towards blackish brown, 
 with the bases of the feathers, of at least the head and neck, 
 white ; below brownish red, with the shafts of the feathers 
 black ; chin with a slight mottling of white. Primary and 
 secondary quill feathers as in adult specimens. Tail feathers 
 grayish, on outer vanes crossed by many waved or oblique 
 narrow blackish bands ; on inner vanes reddish white, or red- 
 dish brown, with similar black bands ; tips of all the feathers 
 dirty reddish yellow. Legs and toes greenish yellow ; claws 
 black ; bills black, with yellow in the same situations as in the 
 old bird, but neither so extensive nor so brilliant. Tail 
 brownish gray, with the inner vanes crossed by eight^or ten 
 transverse tawny or reddish white bands ; tips light reddish 
 brown or dirty tawny. 
 
 Inhabits the whole of South Africa, but is much more 
 scantily distributed than the first described species of this 
 genus. When on the wing, the two have a considerable 
 resemblance to each other, but they are readily to be distin- 
 guished by the smaller size of the present species. 
 
 Obs. Like the other birds of this genus, the Tachard ex- 
 hibits much variety of colouring, and it is very seldom that 
 any two specimens are found which exactly resemble each 
 other. The markings on the breast and belly, and the colors 
 of the tail, are what exhibit most varieties in the bird just 
 described. In some the belly and breast are almost divested 
 of spots, and exhibit nearly an uniform white color ; while in 
 others both of those parts, and even the throat, are densely 
 covered with streaks or roundish blotches, when but little 
 difference appears to exist in the ages of the individuals. In 
 most instances the tail is grayish brown, banded with blackish 
 brown, yet in not a few is it deep chesnut or bright rufous, 
 and distinctly banded transversely by numerous black lines, 
 when no reason exists for considering them as not of equal 
 years. In the majority of individuals of this species, whatever 
 may be the color of the lower parts, the legs, in general, are 
 reddish brown, but in some they are occasionally found ex- 
 hibiting a white ground, variegated by brownish spots or 
 longitudinal streaks. 
 
 BUTEO DESERTORUM. 
 
 Falco Desertorum, Daud. t Shaw. Latham. Le Eongri, Le 
 Vattlant,voll,pL17. 
 [46] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 383 
 
 B. ferrugineus ; gutture, pectore et tectricibus inferioribus 
 caudce subalbidis ; abdomine nigro notatis ; remigibus primori- 
 bus nigris, cauda subtus ferruginea infra grisea indistincte 
 fasciata ; rostro et tarsis flavis ; oculis rubris. 
 
 Male. Bill and cere yellow ; eyes red ; head, neck, back, 
 and belly ferruginous red ; the latter with dashes of black ; 
 throat, breast, and under tail coverts grayish white. Pri- 
 mary quill feathers black. Tail ferruginous red above, gray- 
 ish white, with indistinct transverse bands, beneath ; legs and 
 toes yellow ; claws black. Size considerably below that of 
 the Buteo Jackals, or most common South African buzzard. 
 
 Female. Size rather exceeding that of the male, and the 
 ferruginous tint is less deep and brilliant. 
 
 This species I have never met with, and am therefore 
 forced to have recourse to the works of Le Vaillant. He 
 states that it inhabits the more retired spots of South Africa ; 
 that it feeds upon rats, moles, mice, and even insects ; and that 
 its cry resembles much that of the common European buzzard. 
 It places its nest in bushes ; constructs it externally of dry 
 twigs, internally of wool, hair, and feathers ; and lays from 
 three to four eggs. 
 
 GENUS. CIRCUS, Auct. 
 
 Hostrum mediocre, a basi 
 aduncum ; nares su~bovales ; 
 tarsi elongati ; acrotarsia scut- 
 ellata; digiti plerumque breves; 
 Remex 3 KtM - longissimus. Ca- 
 pitis later a plumarum circulo 
 instructi disco capitali strigium 
 persimili ; cauda cequales. 
 
 Bill moderately strong, cur- 
 ved from the base ; nostrils 
 oviform ; tarsi elongated ; acro- 
 tarsia scutellate ; toes for the 
 most part short ; the third quill 
 feather longest ; sides of the 
 head with a circle of decom- 
 posed silky feathers, as in the 
 
 owls. 
 CIRCUS LALANDII. 
 
 C. nigro-fuscus, tectricibus superioribus caudce albis ; remigi- 
 bus, primariis albo, nigro-fusco et cano notatis; cauda nigro 
 fusca cumfasciis canis instructis. 
 
 Male. Bill black, with the base of lower mandible, and 
 the portion of the edge of upper adjoining it yellow ; cere 
 and eyes yellow ; head, neck, back, rump, shoulders, and all 
 the under parts brownish black, verging on pure black ; the 
 bases of the feathers of the nape pure white. Primary quill 
 feathers hoary gray on outer vanes, on inner, towards quills, 
 white, and elsewhere grayish brown, or grayish black ; se- 
 condaries with the outer vanes hoary, the inner nearly white, 
 and both towards tips crossed by a broad blackish band ; upper 
 
384 A Description of the Birds 
 
 tail coverts white, under ones black, with some narrowly tipt 
 with white. Tail nearly even, black, with four transverse 
 bands of dark bluish gray, and the tips of all the feathers 
 grayish white ; the vanes close to quills pure silky white. 
 Legs and toes yellow ; claws black. Length from bill to base 
 of tail ten inches ; length of latter nine and a half inches. 
 
 Female. Size rather greater than that of the male, and the 
 prevailing color is more of a dull blackish brown. 
 
 Young. Bill and cere as in mature specimens ; front black- 
 ish brown ; crown and part of nape light rufous, variegated 
 with brownish black streaks or clouds : back of neck an uni- 
 form brownish black ; shoulders, wing coverts, and scapulars, 
 brownish black, broadly tipt with pale rufous or tawny white ; 
 chin, throat, breast, and belly, tawny rufous ; the two first 
 with brownish streaks or spots, the third clouded by brownish 
 blotches, and the last slightly marked by longitudinal brown 
 streaks. Quill feathers with the gray less clear, with the 
 tips tawny white, but otherwise as in old specimens. Tail 
 blackish brown, with three distinct white transverse bands, 
 besides the bases and tips of all the feathers being white. 
 Legs and toes dirty yellow. 
 
 This bird frequents marshy damp grounds in the vicinity of 
 Cape Town, as well as along both the eastern and western 
 coasts. It feeds upon mice, rats, frogs, and lizards, and in 
 quest of those it skims slowly along close to the surface of the 
 ground. It builds its nest sometimes in low bushes in the 
 vicinity of swamps, but more generally amongst rushes or 
 reeds in the middle of marshes ; constructs it externally of 
 dried twigs, rushes, &c. ; internally of wool and hair ; and 
 lays from three to four eggs. 
 
 Obs. In very young specimens of this bird, the whole of 
 the under parts are nearly of an uniform tawny tinge ; but as 
 the plumage developes itself, the throat and breast exhibit dark 
 brown variegations, and in proportion as it advances in age, 
 those become more distinct, and also appear on the belly. 
 In many specimens irregular white spots are observed on the 
 latter, and many of the feathers are also narrowly tipt with 
 white. In some old birds the transverse bands of the tail are 
 pure silky white, instead of gray. 
 
 CIRCUS SWAINSONII. 
 
 G. supra argenteus ; subtus albus ; remigibus nigro-cceruleiis ; 
 rectricibus lateralibus albis, fasciis transversis irregularibus 
 notatis ; mediis, canis fasciis obscuris transversis variegatis ; 
 tar sis flavis ; rostro nigro. 
 
 Bill black ; cere yellow ; eyes ; front nearly pure 
 
 white ; head, neck, back, rump, and shoulders light grayish 
 [48] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 385 
 
 white, or pale silvery ; throat, breast, belly, vent, under tail 
 coverts, and inside of wings, pure white ; upper tail coverts 
 white, banded transversely with dusky black. Primary and 
 secondary wing coverts gray, slightly tipt with white ; prima- 
 ry wing feather deep dirty bluish purple, with the inner vanes 
 towards bases white ; secondaries dirty hoary gray, wUh the 
 edges of the inner vanes white. Tail long, square, the three 
 lateral feathers on each side white, and crossed by five or six 
 irregular transverse brownish bands ; the centre ones deep 
 hoary blue, with faint dusky transverse bands, particularly on 
 inner vanes, tips of all the feathers white ; tarsi and toes 
 yellow ; claws black. Length from bill to base of tail eight 
 and a half inches ; length of tail nine inches. 
 
 I have only met with two specimens of this species in the 
 Colony, the one was procured near Groenekloof, in the Cape 
 District, and the other in Albany. Both of them exhibited 
 exactly the same markings, and gave every reason to believe 
 they were birds arrived at full maturity. 
 
 ClRCUS SUPERALIAE1S.* 
 
 C. supra brunneus plumis plurimis albo marginatis, fronte, 
 fascia supra et infra oculos, partibus inferioribusque subfulvis ; 
 rostro nigro ; cera et oculis flavis ; remigibus brunneis, pogoniis 
 internis albo fasciatis. 
 
 Male. Bill black, with a small yellow spot on each side of 
 lower mandible towards base ; eyes brownish yellow ; cere 
 yellowish ; above dirty brown, with many of the feathers tipt 
 with reddish white, particularly on the shoulders ; front, chin, 
 throat, breast, belly, vent, and a stripe over, and anothei 
 below each eye, pale tawny ; upper tail coverts pure white ; 
 under ones tawny ; cheeks deep brown. Primary quill feathers 
 dirty brown ; the inner vanes towards quills with alternate 
 white and brown transverse broad bands ; secondaries uni- 
 form dirty brown. Tail even ; the three outermost feathers 
 of each side marked by broad alternate white and dirty brown 
 bands ; tips of all the feathers inclined to white ; legs and 
 toes yellow ; claws black. Length from bill to base of tail 
 eight and a half inches ; length of latter eight inches. 
 
 Female. 
 
 Young. Above brown, with most of the feathers broadly 
 edged and tipt with dirty red ; front, chin, collarets, and band 
 over and under eyes tawny ; breast, belly, vent, and thighs 
 with reddish brown longitudinal blotches ; inside of wings deep 
 chesnut. Primary quill feathers blackish brown, with the 
 inner vanes broadly banded transversely with white. Tail 
 nearly even, with the three outermost feathers of each side 
 
 * South African Commercial Advertiser, for May 30, 1829. 
 
 2 c [49] 
 
386 A Description of the Birds 
 
 broadly banded brown and reddish tawny, middle ones brown- 
 ish black, with irregular tawny bands or blotches ; the tips of 
 all the feathers reddish white ; tarsi and toes yellow ; claws 
 black. 
 
 Inhabits Namaqualand and the country about Oliphant's 
 Biver, as well as various parts on the eastern coast of the 
 Colony. Of this species I have only met with two specimens, 
 and as both of them had the tips of many of the feathers on 
 the back, of a color distinctly differing from the prevailing 
 one, I am disposed to consider neither of them as birds ar- 
 rived at complete maturity. I should not be surprised if far- 
 ther observation may enable us to identify this with the last 
 described species. 
 
 CIRCUS ACOLI. Witte valk. LeeuwerJcvanger. 
 
 Falco Acoli. Daudin, Shaw. L'Acoli, Le Vaillant, torn. 1, 
 pi. 31. 
 
 C. supra cceruleo-griseus, subtus subalbidus pectore, dbdo- 
 mine etfemoribus nigro lineatis. 
 
 Male. Bill horn-colored towards base, bluish black towards 
 tip ; cere red ; eyes orange red ; color of plumage above pale 
 bluish gray; beneath whitish, with the breast, belly, and 
 thighs, finely rayed transversely with black ; body slender ; 
 legs long ; tail nearly even, and of a dirty brownish white 
 tint ; shafts reddish brown ; legs and toes* yellowish ; claws 
 black. 
 
 Female. A third larger than the male, and the cere of a 
 less deep red. 
 
 This species, according to Le Vaillant, occurs in Zwartland, 
 and about the Twenty -four Rivers. It feeds upon mice, rats, 
 lizards, &c. has a quick flight, and commonly soars along close 
 to the ground, over cultivated lands and sandy deserts. The 
 male and female are for the most part observed together ; 
 and the latter constructs her nest in small bushes, and lays 
 four dirty white oval eggs. 
 
 Obs. Having never met with this bird myself, I include it 
 solely upon the authority of the naturalist just quoted, whose 
 imperfect description I have introduced ; and, great as the 
 authority is, I cannot refrain from stating a doubt as to the 
 existence of such a species : being disposed to consider it as 
 the Accipiter Musicus, immediately before moulting. 
 
 CIRCUS EANIVORUS. Hehvorsvanger of the Colonists. 
 
 Falco Ranivorus, Daudin, Shaw. Le Grenouillard, Le 
 Vaillant, torn. 1, pi. 22. 
 
 C. supra brunneus, rubro-albo variegatm, humeris nigro-brun- 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 387 
 
 neo, ferrugineo et albo notatis ; subtus ferrugineus cauda, fasciis 
 transversis, nigro-brunneis et griseis ; tarsis flavis ; rostro nigro. 
 
 Male. Bill black, with a shade of yellow on lower mandi- 
 ble near base ; eyes and cere yellow ; front and crown brown, 
 varied with tawny ; back of neck and interscapulars dirty dark 
 brown, the feathers edged with pure or reddish white ; back 
 and rump brown, with tawny tips ; upper tail coverts ferru- 
 ginous and brown, with whitish tips ; shoulders mottled dark 
 blackish brown, ferruginous and pure white ; cervical collar 
 blackish brown and white; chin, throat, and breast dirty 
 brown, the feathers edged and tipt with dirty reddish white. 
 Primary and secondary wing coverts blackish brown, with 
 gray transverse bands ; primary quill feathers with the outer 
 vanes marked by alternate transverse bands of deep hoary 
 gray and brownish black ; inner with a considerable propor- 
 tion of bluish gray, variegated by partial transverse blackish 
 bands, and the inner edge of vanes, towards quills, clear 
 white ; towards tips, the feathers all nearly uniform brownish 
 black ; secondaries brown and deep bluish gray, in alternate 
 transverse bands ; inner edges of inner vanes white. Tail 
 with about five blackish brown transverse bands, and with six 
 deep bluish gray ones, besides bluish gray tips to all the 
 feathers. In many of the feathers, more particularly the 
 lateral ones towards quills, there is a strong tinge of chesnut. 
 Legs and toes yellow; claws black. Length from bill to base 
 of tail nine inches ; length of latter nine inches. 
 
 Female. The colors are rather less bright, but in other 
 respects resembles the male. 
 
 This species is found about marshy situations, over the 
 greater part of South Africa. In those it skims along close 
 to the reeds, rushes, or long grass with which they are gene- 
 rally more or less supplied, and feeds on mice, rats, lizards, 
 and such like animals as resort to these damp situations. It 
 builds its nest sometimes on trees or bushes in the vicinity of 
 marshes, but more commonly on the ground, amongst the 
 luxuriant vegetation of those spots. The nest is formed ex- 
 ternally of dried twigs or rushes; internally of hair, wool, <fcc., 
 and it lays three or four white eggs. 
 
 CIRCUS LB VAILLANTII, 
 
 C. f route vertice nucha, cervice et pectore albis aut fulvo- 
 albis ; dorso brunneo ; gutture abdomineque, sub-ferrugineis ; 
 cauda brunnea fasciis transversis subfulvis variegata; rostro 
 nigro ; tarsis cera et oculis flams. 
 
 Male. Bill black ; base of lower mandible yellow ; front, 
 chin, nape, cervix, and part of breast, white or reddish white ; 
 
 [51] 
 
388 A Description of the Birds 
 
 the feathers of the neck and nape each with a spot of brown 
 at tips ; interscapulars and back dirty brown ; upper tail 
 coverts brown, with the tips pale tawny; throat, sides of 
 neck, and anterior part of breast blackish brown ; flanks, 
 belly, thighs, and vent reddish brown, inclined to dirty ferru 
 ginous ; shoulders variegated brown and pale tawny ; inside 
 of wings dark tawny, spotted with brown. Primary and secon- 
 dary wing coverts brown, with tawny tips ; primary quill 
 feathers dark brown, with the exception of the greater part of 
 the inner vanes, towards quills, which are light tawny, varie- 
 gated by longitudinal waved dusky lines ; secondaries simi- 
 larly colored. Tail nearly even, dark brown, with the three 
 outermost feathers of each side distinctly marked by transverse 
 interrupted tawny bands ; centre ones with indistinct light 
 colored bands on inner vanes ; tips of all the feathers tavray. 
 Legs and toes greenish yellow ; claws black. Length from 
 bill to base of tail ten and a half inches ; length of latter eight 
 inches. 
 
 Female. With the exception of being a little larger, she 
 exactly resembles the male. 
 
 Young. When it leaves the egg, it is covered with a white 
 down, that in time is succeeded by an uniform dark brown 
 plumage, which is only very slightly variegated by some 
 streaks of bright tawny about the chin, front, and anterior 
 edges of shoulders. The brown of the upper parts is dark 
 and clear ; that of the lower reddish brown or ferruginous. 
 Tail feathers nearly uniform brown, with tawny tips, and some 
 similarly colored spots towards quills. Bill blackish blue, 
 with the lower mandible yellow at base. Legs and toes dirty 
 yellow. 
 
 This bird is met with about the sandy flats near Cape Town, 
 as well as in low marshy or damp situations along both the 
 southern and western coasts. On account of its habitats and 
 manners, it has generally been considered as identical with 
 the last described species; but its constant and invariable 
 characters prove it to be a separate and independent one. 
 This is evidently the same species as is obscurely described by 
 Le Vaillant, and stated by him to have been procured near 
 Algoa Bay.* 
 
 Oba. The bands on the tail are much more distinct in some 
 specimens than in others, and appear sometimes on all the 
 feathers, at other times only on the inner vanes of the middle 
 ones. In some examples the white of the front, nape 
 cervix, and breast, is clear and abundant, whilst in others it is 
 scarcely distinguishable. 
 
 [52] * Hi8t0ire NatureUe des Ois8eau d>Afri <l, torn. 1, p. 97. 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 389 
 
 STIRPS. MILVINA. 
 
 Hostrum mediocre a basi subaduncum. Cauda furcata. 
 GENUS. ELANUS. 
 
 Rostrum mediocre debile, com- 
 pressum. Tarsi breves semi- 
 plumati. Acrotarsia reticulata. 
 Ungues medio excepto interne 
 rotundi. Remex Zdus. longissi- 
 mus, \mus. e t %dus. fortiter in- 
 terne emarginatus. 
 
 Bill moderately long, weak, 
 and compressed. Tarsi short, 
 half feathered. Acrotarsia 
 reticulated. Claws, with the 
 exception of the middle one, 
 rounded. Second wing feather 
 the longest ; first and second 
 
 strongly emarginate. 
 ELANUS MELANOPTERTJS, Leach. Witte Spervel of the Colonists. 
 
 Elanus Caesius, Savigny. Falco Melanopterus, Daud. Le 
 Blac, Le Vaillant, pi. 36 and 37. 
 
 E. plumbeus, subtus albidus, remigibus nigricantibus ; rostro 
 humerisque, nigris ; cauda subalbida ; pedibus, cera que flavis, 
 oculis rubris. 
 
 Male. Bill black ; cere yellow ; eyes red ; front and eye- 
 brows white ; crown and back of neck light bluish gray ; in- 
 terscapulars, back, rump, and scapulars, bluish gray; shoulders 
 jet black ; chin, throat, breast, belly, vent, and inside of wings 
 pure white. Primary and secondary wing coverts bluish gray, 
 with the edges of inner vanes white, and some of the feathers 
 distinctly tipt with that color ; primary quill feathers dusky, 
 hoary gray, shaded towards tips with reddish brown ; secon- 
 daries bluish gray. Tail slightly forked, pale bluish white, 
 with the outer vane of each feather faintly tinted with purple 
 near tip ; vanes dark reddish brown ; legs and toes yellow ; 
 claws black. Length from bill to base of tail six and a half 
 inches ; length of latter five inches. 
 
 Female. Size rather exceeding that of the male, and the 
 color of the plumage less deep. 
 
 Young. Bill black ; base of under mandible, and the part 
 of the upper one adjoining it, yellowish; front reddish white ; 
 crown and back of neck dusky, slightly variegated with very 
 fine reddish tawny streaks ; interscapulars dirty blackish 
 blue, with fine reddish white tips ; back uniform dusky blue ; 
 scapulars dirty blackish blue, with a tinge of brown, and all 
 broadly tipt with impure white ; shoulders black, many of the 
 feathers faintly tipt with white. Primary and secondary wing 
 coverts bluish gray, many of them with white tips ; primary 
 wing feathers blackish blue with white tips ; secondaries with 
 reddish white tips. Chin and throat white ; breast and belly 
 pale tawny or dull reddish white ; thighs white. Tail a pale 
 
 [53] 
 
390 A Description of the Birds 
 
 dusky, hoary blue, with shades of brown ; part of edges of 
 inner vanes white ; tips of feathers white or reddish tawny ; 
 legs and toes yellow ; claws black. 
 
 This bird is found throughout the whole of South Africa ; 
 but is particularly abundant along the western coast, and in 
 the country about the Twenty-four Rivers, and the Piquet- 
 berg. It frequently resorts to the habitations of the farmers, 
 and proves highly destructive to their poultry. It builds its 
 nest in the clefts of trees ; lines it inside with down and 
 feathers, and lays from four to five white eggs. 
 
 GENUS. MILYUS. 
 
 Rostrum mediocre, debile su- 
 Nares ob- 
 
 ellipticce. Tarsi breves. 
 Acrotarsia scutellata. Alee 
 
 longissimce. Remex ^tius. Ion. 
 gwsimus ; cauda furcata. 
 
 Bill moderately long, weak, 
 and subangular above. Nostrils 
 oblique, elliptical. Tarsi short. 
 Acrotarsia scutellate. Wings 
 very long. Fourth quill the 
 longest. Tail forked. 
 
 MILVUS PAEASITICTTS. Kuikenduif of the Colonists. 
 Le parasite, Le Vaillant Ois d'Afrique, torn. 1, pi. 22. 
 
 M. capite collogue cinereo-fuscis, nigro lineatis ; dorso et 
 humeris fuscis ; mento et gutture longitudinaliter striatis subalbo 
 et nigro ; pectore et abdomine subferrugineis striis nigris varie- 
 gatis. 
 
 Male. Bill and cere yellow ; eyes dark brown ; head and 
 neck pale tawny, with each feather marked in the centre by 
 a longitudinal black or blackish brown streak which includes 
 the shaft; interscapulars, back, tail coverts, and shoulders 
 brown, each feather tipt with a lighter tint ; chin and throat 
 streaked longitudinally with brown and dirty white ; breast 
 and belly dirty dull rufous, with a narrow stripe of black 
 along the centre of each feather; under tail coverts and 
 thighs rufous ; primary and secondary wing coverts blackish 
 brown, with light tips. Primary wing feather black, mottled 
 slightly with white on inner vanes towards quills ; secondaries 
 brown, with the inner vanes crossed by indistinct dusky 
 bands, outer vanes sometimes of as dusky a hue as the bands. 
 Tail slightly forked, reddish brown, with eight or nine narrow 
 blackish transverse bands, and the tips of all the feathers 
 reddish white : the bands are most distinct on the inner vanes, 
 and below, on both, they are much more evident than above, 
 being there black and nearly pure white; legs and toes yellow; 
 claws black. Length from bill to base of tail eleven inches 
 and a half ; length of latter eight and a half. 
 
 Female. With the exception of the rufous color being less 
 [54] 
 
inhabiting the South of Africa. 391 
 
 clear, the female, in most other respects, resembles the male ; 
 and there is not the great difference in size that occurs in 
 many others of the family. 
 
 Young. Bill black towards tip, light horn-colored at base ; 
 cere yellowish ; irides brown ; head and neck brown, with all 
 the feathers broadly tipt with reddish white or tawny yellow ; 
 black brown, with the feathers tipt with tawny yellow or pale 
 rufous ; shoulders varied brown and tawny, with a longitudi- 
 nal blackish streak along the centre of each feather; chin 
 with longitudinal streaks of black and dirty tawny ; breast 
 with the feathers black in their centres, then tawny, and on 
 the edges dirty rufous, the tips are also tawny ; under tail 
 coverts light tawny rufous ; thighs with the centres of the 
 feathers light brown, and the edges somewhat rufous. Pri- 
 mary and secondary wing coverts dark brown, tipt with tawny ; 
 primary wing feathers black, and the inner edges of inner 
 vanes near quills much mottled with white, tips tawny rufous ; 
 secondaries blackish brown, indistinctly banded with dusky 
 black, and all tipt with tawny. Tail grayish brown, with nine 
 or ten blackish oblique transverse bands, and each feather 
 broadly tipt with tawny ; below the colors appear black and 
 grayish white ; legs and toes dull yellow ; claws black. When 
 it leaves the egg it is covered with a grayish down. 
 
 It feeds upon young chickens and other small birds, as well 
 as carrion, and in search of such it evinces much courage, 
 sometimes carrying them away from almost the very doors of 
 farm-houses. It belongs to the migrating class of birds, and only 
 spends the hot months of the summer in South Africa. During 
 that period it is found very generally distributed over the 
 whole colony, as well as over the country both to the north- 
 ward and eastward of it, and usually resorts daily to the 
 neighbourhood of inhabited places between the hours of ten 
 and four. It breeds during its temporary residence ; and 
 " builds its nest commonly upon trees or rocks, but, when 
 possible, prefers bushes in the neighbourhood of marshes, and 
 lays four eggs spotted with reddish." 
 
 O&s. Though Temminck has set this bird down as identi- 
 cal with the European species, yet I have no hesitation in 
 viewing it as quite distinct. The bill of the South African 
 bird is invariable fine yellow, and that, with many other less 
 evident differences, which will, doubtless, be more clearly 
 discovered by persons who possess good opportunities of com- 
 paring specimens of both countries, appears tome to warrant 
 the conclusion. 
 
 [55] 
 
392 A Description of the Birds, fyc. 
 
 The following species has been met with since those of the 
 genus to which it belongs were described : 
 
 FALCO CUVIERII. 
 
 F. subcceruleus, gutture, albo; pectore et parte anteriore ab- 
 dominis rvbro-albis, maculis nigris, longitudinalibus notatis; 
 parte posteriore abdominis, crisso et femoribus, ferrugineis ; 
 iarsis flams. 
 
 Above grayish blue, with the shafts of many of the feathers 
 black ; a transverse black band or blotch beneath each eye ; 
 chin and front of neck white; breast and anterior part of 
 belly reddish white, and variegated by many longitudinal 
 black blotches ; hinder part of belly, vent, under tail coverts, 
 and thighs deep chesnut or ferruginous. Primary and secon- 
 dary wing coverts deep grayish blue ; primary and secondary 
 quill feathers bluish black, the inner vanes banded trans- 
 versely, towards quills, with light tawny. Tail somewhat 
 rounded, the two middle feathers about an inch longer than 
 either of the others, somewhat pointed, and of a grayish blue 
 color ; the outer vanes, and a narrow line over each eye, tawny 
 white ; base of bill bluish white ; tip black. Tarsi and toes 
 yellow ; claws black. Length from bill to base of tail seven 
 inches ; length of tail six inches. 
 
 The specimen, of which the foregoing is the description, 
 was obtained in Cafferland, near to the Kai Eiver, and is said 
 to be not unfrequent there. 
 
 ACCIPITER E.TTFIVENTRIS. Vide page 231. 
 
 At the time that the description of this bird was prepared, 
 I had not (it now appears) seen a full grown specimen. When 
 the plumage of maturity is attained, it is above of a dark 
 slate color, and below white, closely banded on the throat, 
 breast, and belly, by reddish brown transverse lines. The tail 
 is dusky brown, with four broad transverse blackish bands, 
 and two or more blotches or partial transverse broad white 
 lines on the inner vanes of several of the central feathers. 
 
 (To be continued.) 
 
 [56] 
 
[FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL, 
 
 No. V., OCTOBER 1831.] 
 
 Contributions to the Natural History of South Africa, fyc. 
 
 By ANDREW SMITH, M.D. M.W.S. &c. 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 THERE was a time when it required no trifling degree of con- 
 fidence to venture upon introducing a new species, much less a 
 new genus or genera, to the notice of the public ; and much in 
 the form of apology to satisfy the vigilant guardians of the 
 older systems, for attempting to interfere with their too in- 
 definite and highly confused divisions. Of late, however, ob- 
 servation, rather than theory, has been the guide of the Natural- 
 ist ; and the simple discovery of a form, not quite akin to any 
 described, is now regarded as all that is necessary to warrant 
 the formation and publication of an additional subdivision. 
 
 The advantages that have resulted from this new, and cer- 
 tainly far more scientific method of proceeding, must have been 
 sufficient to have convinced even the most zealous anti- 
 reformers and the most devoted admirers of the earlier classi- 
 fications, that innovation was not resorted to before it was 
 absolutely wanted ; and every day's experience is forcibly prov- 
 ing, that still farther ramifications are imperatively called for, 
 wherever the student of nature is, with real and acumen, ex- 
 tending his research. 
 
 South Africa, it is already known, possesses several forms 
 not to be satisfactorily classed in any of the older genera, and 
 numbers more exist, which are quite as much, if not more at 
 variance with them, than even those that have already been 
 described, some of which I shall now proceed to notice.* 
 
 * In forming new Genera, I have generally taken care to particularise the 
 type of each, by affixing to the species upon which it has been formed as a 
 trivial name the word typicus. If such a plan was to be universally adopted, 
 many difficulties would be obviated, and the limits of Genera would be more 
 clearly kept than they are even at present, in consequence of new forms being 
 often compared with remote and absent species, from their discoverers not 
 being acquainted with the type of the Genus, or with such of the species as 
 are more nearly allied to it. To such as possess the organs of constructive, 
 ness, I would suggest the divising of a nomenclature, whereby the relative 
 affinities of the various species of a Genus, from the typical one downwards, 
 might be indicated by the trivial names. 
 
 [57] 
 
Natural History of South Africa, fyc. 11 
 
 Class. AYES. 
 
 Fam. FRINGILLHLE. 
 
 Genus, PLOCEUS. 
 
 PLOCEUS stictonotus. 
 
 P. fronte, vertice et nucha flams ; dorso flavo, maculis nigris 
 variegato ; guttere, lateribus capitis, superciliisque nigris; 
 pectore et venire sulpTiuratis. 
 
 Throat, sides of head, and eyebrows, black ; front, crown 
 and nape, fine yellow, the former with a gold tinge ; intersca- 
 pulars, back, rump, and shoulders, mottled yellow and black ; 
 outer vanes of primary and secondary quill feathers greenish, 
 edged with yellow or greenish yellow ; inner vanes greenish 
 brown, broadly edged towards quills with yellow. Tail even, 
 greenish brown, all the feathers faintly edged with greenish 
 vellow ; breast, belly, vent, and thighs, sulphur vellow. Bill 
 
 [59] 
 
12 Dr. Smith's Contributions to the 
 
 long, sharp pointed, slightly curved, and of a jet black color ; 
 eyes vermillion ; legs and toes reddish brown ; claws light horn 
 colored. Length from base of bill to root of tail, three inches 
 and three quarters ; length of tail two inches and a half. In- 
 habits the eastern parts of the colony, particularly about the 
 banks of the Keiskamma river, and upon the trees and bushes 
 which skirt the edges of that beautiful stream, it builds its pen- 
 dulous nest. 
 
 VIDTTA. 
 V. nigra, apicibus humerorum scarlatinis, intus castaneis. 
 
 Above and below black ; tips of shoulders scarlet, which is 
 edged behind by a broad band of dull chesnut; inside of 
 shoulders chesnut; secondary wing-coverts, scapulars and 
 secondary quill feathers, edged with faint chesnut or reddish 
 white ; armillse buff colored or pale reddish white ; upper man- 
 dible pure black, lower flesh-colored inclined to red. 
 
 The only specimen I have yet seen of this bird was injured, 
 and therefore the description is not so complete as could be 
 wished. The tail feathers were of different lengths, so that 
 there can be no doubt but that a part of them were progressing 
 towards that state which characterises the birds of this genus 
 during the summer months. It was shot in Cafferland, near 
 the Kei river. 
 
 Fam. STUKNID.E. 
 Genus, BUPHAGA. 
 BUPHAGA Afncanoides. 
 
 B. supra sub-brunnea ; mento et gutters sub brunneis ; pec- 
 tore et parte anteriore abdominis viridi brunneis; parte poste- 
 riore abdominis flavo alba ; rostro cocdneo. 
 
 Above dirty brown ; primary and secondary wing coverts as 
 well as primary and secondary quill feathers, brownish black ; 
 tail graduated and composed of twelve feathers of a dusky 
 brown color ; chin and throat dirty brown ; breast and anterior 
 part of belly greenish brown ; posterior part of belly yellowish 
 white variegated with brown ; vent brownish. Bill between a 
 crimson and a scarlet ; legs, toes, and claws, black ; round each 
 eye a narrow circle, devoid of feathers, and of a yellow color. 
 Length eight inches. Inhabits the country about Natal, and is 
 commonly seen picking insects from the backs of cattle. 
 
 It differs from the Buphaga Africana in the colors of the 
 legs, tail, belly, back, and rump, and also in the size of the 
 legs. 
 
 [60] 
 
Natural History of South Africa, fyc. 13 
 
 Fam. CUCULID^E. 
 Genus, CORYTHAIX. 
 CORYTHAIX Burchelii. 
 
 C. capute cristato, crista et nucha purpureis ; capistro et an- 
 nulo circa oculos lucido viridibus ; cervice et parte anteriore 
 dorsi viridibus; parte posterior e dorsi, uropygio, caudaque 
 cceruleis ; venire infimo cceruleo-nigro. 
 
 Head crested, crest and nape brilliant purple ; front, and a 
 circle round each eye, deep shining green ; cervex and inter- 
 scapulars light green with a shade of brownish red ; scapulars, 
 shoulders, back, rump, and tail, blue, varying in brilliancy ; 
 the tail slightly rounded. Primary quill feathers black with a 
 tinge of blue, and the inner vanes towards the middle of the 
 feathers crimson ; chin, throat, and sides of neck, grass green ; 
 breast green with a shade of reddish ; anterior part of belly 
 dark green ; posterior part and vent blackish blue ; legs, toes, 
 claws, and bill, black. Length sixteen inches, of which the 
 tail forms nearly the half. Inhabits the country about Port 
 Natal, and is named in honor of the indefatigable traveller and 
 eminent botanist Wm. Burchel, Esq. author of Travels in South 
 Africa, &c. 
 
 Fam. CINNYRID^E. 
 Genus, CINNYRIS. 
 
 CINNYEIS Veroxii. 
 
 C. supra subviridis vialaceo umbrata ; infra cinnerea, pectore 
 duobus maculis scarlatinis notata. 
 
 Front, crown, cervex, sides of head and neck, interscapulars, 
 back, and shoulders, dusky green with shades of splendent 
 violet or purple ; quill feathers and tail brownish with a shade 
 of green. Chin, throat, breast, belly, and vent, ash colored ; 
 the flanks with a tinge of green. On each side of breast im- 
 mediately inside of the bend of the wing, a small scarlet tuft ; 
 bill and legs black, claws dark horn colored. Length from bill 
 to base of tail two inches and three-quarters ; length of tail 
 two inches ; length of bill one inch and a quarter. Inhabits 
 Cafferland ; and the specimen from whence the above descrip- 
 tion was taken, was given to me by Mr. VERREAUX, through 
 whose liberality I have been put in possession of many new 
 and interesting objects of Natural History. 
 
 [61] 
 
14 Dr. Smith's Contributions to the 
 
 Fara. HALCYONID^E. 
 Genus, ALCEDO. 
 
 ALCEDO Natalensis. 
 
 A. fronte, v&rtice, nuchaque coeruleis, lineiis transversis viola- 
 ceis variegatis ; lateribus capitis subcinnamomeis ; dorso coeruleo ; 
 pectore et venire subcastaneis. 
 
 Bill and legs bright scarlet ; front, top of head and nape, 
 deep indigo blue, variegated by pale blue or violet transverse 
 bands ; sides of head and neck light reddish brown with tints 
 of purple ; back fine bright blue ; shoulders blackish with a 
 shade of blue in addition to numerous spots of clear light blue. 
 Primary and secondary quill feathers dusky black, with the 
 inner vanes nearly all brownish red ; chin and throat white ; 
 breast, belly, and vent, pale chesnut ; tail dusky blue. Length 
 from bill to tip of tail four inches ; length of bill one inch. In- 
 habits the banks of rivers, &c. to the eastward of Cafferland. 
 
 Fam. OTIDJS. 
 Genus, OTIS. 
 OTIS Afroides. 
 
 O. fronte, superciliis, lateribus capitis, collo, gutture, pectore 
 et venire nigris ; vertice et parte nuchce nigris albo variegatis, 
 dorso nigro lineis transversis albis aut subrubris variegato ; 
 remigibus albo et nigro notatis. 
 
 Front, eyebrows, sides of head and neck, throat, breast, 
 belly, vent, and thighs, pure black ; crown and part of nape, 
 black, variegated with irregular waved transverse white lines ; 
 between the black eyebrows and variegated crown a moderately 
 distinct white line, which extends backwards and meets on the 
 nape the corresponding one of the opposite side, where they 
 form an irregular white mark. Behind each eye and covering 
 the openings of the ears, a large somewhat circular white 
 blotch ; between interscapulars and base of neck an irregular 
 transverse white band. Interscapulars, scapulars, and anterior 
 part of shoulders, black, variegated by narrow reddish white 
 angular transverse bands ; back and rump black, with narrow 
 transverse waved white lines ; posterior part of shoulders white, 
 inside white blotched with black. Primary wing coverts black, 
 more or less broadly tipt with white ; secondary similarly 
 colored, only the quantity of white is much greater. Primary 
 quill feathers black, with a great portion of the inner vanes 
 white ; secondaries black, several of them blotched or striped 
 
 white ' Tail rounded and finely 
 
Natural History of South Africa, fyc. 15 
 
 transversely with black and white, each feather besides with 
 one or more broad pure black transverse bands, and the lateral 
 ones with broad white tips ; armillse white. Bill horn colored 
 towards tip, yellow towards base ; legs and toes yellowish ; 
 claws horn colored. Length from bill to tip of tail nearly 
 eighteen inches. 
 
 This species is closely allied to the Otis Afra, or black 
 Koran of the Colonists, but is at once distinguishable from it 
 by the white markings of the inner vanes of the primary quill 
 feathers. Its cry is also very different, being simply kir re- 
 peated many times in quick succession. I have never found this 
 bird within the limits of the colony, but have seen many of 
 them on the Bushman flats towards the Orange River. From 
 the last circumstance, they are known to the farmers of the 
 northern frontier by the name of " Bushman Koran*." 
 
 * Many interesting species of this genus have already been discovered in 
 South Africa, and doubtless the catalogue will yet be extended when more 
 attention is devoted to the examination of the individual characters of birds. 
 The species at present known to us are Otis Arabs. Cuv. Kuif kop Peauw. 
 Otis ruficolUs. Cuv. red necked Peauw Otis Cokii. Smith mms. black 
 throated Peauw. Otis Afra. Lin. blackKoran. Otis Torqiiata. Cuv. brown 
 Koran. Otis Vigorsii Smith mms. Karoo Koran. Otis veroxii Smith mms. 
 blue bellied Koran. Otis Afroides Smith. Bushman Koran. 
 
 [63] 
 
48 Proceedings of the Institution. 
 
 [FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL, 
 
 Second Series, OCTOBKR to DECEMBER, 1833.] 
 
 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOUTH AFEICAN LITEEAEY 
 AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTION. 
 
 October 2. Dr. SMITH called the attention of the Society to 
 several South African birds which were placed upon the table, 
 but more particularly to the following, which he described and 
 named: 
 
 Crithagra albogularis. Above greenish grey with some 
 dark variegation ; rump and tail coverts greenish yellow ; chin, 
 throat, and eyebrows white ; breast and flanks dusky grey ; 
 centre of belly, vent, and under tail coverts white ; wing and 
 tail feathers brownish, slightly edged with dull white. Length 
 five inches and a half. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Sir WM. JAKDINE, it was stated, regards this as the female of Cri- 
 tliagra sulphurata, but it was added, that they are never found asso- 
 ciated together, nor even in the same localities. 
 
 Corythaix concolor. Forehead with a long crest, which, with 
 the entire plumage, is greyish,f aintly mottled in some places with 
 fine, dull, reddish white transverse lines ; quill feathers dark 
 brownish ; tail very long, hoary grey with a deep greenish gloss, 
 particularly towards the tip ; bill, legs, and toes black. Length 
 nineteen inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, inland of Port Natal. 
 
 It was remarked that this bird differed in several points, particularly 
 in the form of the bill, from the typical species of the genus, and that 
 it might hereafter require to be made the type of a new division, under 
 the name of Corythaixoides. 
 
 Francolinus Natalensis. Top of head, back, scapulars, 
 shoulders, and tail, light brown, finely mottled with brownish 
 black and tawny white, the former in the shape of longitudinal 
 blotches upon the scapulars ; eyebrows, sides of head, neck, 
 breast, and anterior part of belly, variegated black and white ; 
 posterior part of belly, vent, and under tail coverts, a mixture 
 of black, tawny white, and light brown ; bill reddish brown ; 
 legs, toes, and claws, reddish yellow ; eyes brown. Length 
 from bill to tip of tail twelve inches and a half. 
 
 Inhabits brushwood thickets in the vicinity of Natal. 
 
80 
 
 [FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL 
 
 Second Series, OCTOBER to DECEMBER 1833.] 
 
 SOUTH AFKICAN INSTITUTION. 
 
 6th Nov. The Secretary reported that the Eev. Dr. Philip 
 had presented two interesting Zoological Specimens for the 
 Society's Museum, the one Manis Temmmckii, the other 
 Python Natalensis ; and that both of them had been brought 
 from the interior, eastward of Latakoo. The latter, Dr. Smith 
 stated, was also found in the country about Port Natal ; and 
 that he had in his possession a specimen which was killed by 
 his party whilst he was there. 
 
 At the request of Mr. Yerreaux, the attention of the meeting 
 was called to three birds which he had lately received from 
 Madagascar, and which, from considering them new to science, 
 he had named and characterised as follows : 
 
 Accipiter Madagascariensis. Above dull brown with an ir- 
 regular white spot on the nape ; beneath white freely crossed 
 with fine brown bars : vent and under tail coverts, pure white ; 
 tail brown above, ashy white beneath, and both surfaces 
 crossed by eight narrow brown-black bands. Length thir- 
 teen inches and a half.* 
 
 Glareola ocularis. Head and shoulders green-black ; under 
 each eye a fine transverse white stripe ; upper parts of neck and 
 back green- grey ; chin white ; under parts of neck and the 
 breast brownish grey ; anterior part of belly pale chesnut ; 
 hinder parts, and under and upper tail coverts white ; base of 
 tail partly black and partly white, the tips of a few of the 
 feathers white, the other parts pure black ; bill black with the 
 edges of the mandibles towards the angles of the mouth, red. 
 Length about eight inches and a half. 
 
 Rallus Madagascariensis. Head and chin grey ; neck, breast 
 and belly rusty grey-brown ; back rusty olive blotched with 
 black ; vent barred transversly with reddish white ; under tail 
 coverts white ; point of bill and upper surface of upper mandi- 
 ble blackish brown, the other parts of the bill yellowish. 
 Length eight inches and a half. 
 
 * Can this be the Astur fasciatus of Vigors and Horsfield ? Ed. 
 
 [65] 
 
143 
 
 [FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL, 
 
 Second Series, JANUARY to MABCH 1834.] 
 
 SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTION. 
 
 January 8, 1834. Dr. SMITH called the attention of the 
 Members to four South African Birds and to a Saurian 
 Reptile from Swan Eiver, all of which he considered new to 
 science, and named and characterised as follows : 
 
 Trichophorus flaviventris. Upper parts of head, back, rump 
 and tail, olive-brown ; outer vanes of some of the quill feathers 
 slightly edged with green ; chin and throat pale straw-yellow, 
 breast and flanks greenish yellow, centre of belly and vent, 
 yellow ; bill, legs, and toes, a dark horn-colour. Length 
 from point of bill to tip of tail nine inches. 
 
 Inhabits the country near Port Natal. 
 
 Holy con Swainsonii. Head, back and sides of neck and 
 interscapulars dull white, the first more or less tinted with 
 grey-brown, the last margined behind with a broad transverse 
 black band ; back, middle of wings, and tail, blue with a green 
 gloss, particularly the two centre feathers of the latter ; 
 shoulders, scapulars, and points of quills, black, inner vanes of 
 several of the outermost wing feathers white towards quills ; 
 throat and centre of breast pure white, sides of breast, belly, 
 
 [67] 
 
144 South African Institution. 
 
 and vent ferruginous ; bill, legs and toes light red ; claws dark 
 horn coloured. Length from point of bill to extremity of tail 
 eight inches and a half. 
 Inhabits the interior of South Africa. 
 
 Halycon Senegaloides. Upper and lateral parts of head 
 and of neck grey-green ; interscapulars and scapulars green ; 
 back a clear dark blue-green ; shoulders and extremities of 
 wing feathers black, middle of wings deep blue- green, inner 
 vanes towards quills white ; tail blue-green ; throat, centre of 
 belly, and vent white ; breast and sides of belly greyish, bill 
 and legs deep red ; space between eye and base of bill black. 
 Length nine inches. 
 
 Inhabits the country about Port Natal. 
 
 Edolius Ludwigii. Black with a shining green gloss, most 
 distinct on the upper parts and the breast ; tail slightly forked ; 
 bill and legs black. Length seven inches. 
 
 Inhabits the country about Port Natal. 
 
 Lamprotomis rufiventris. Head brown with a faint purple 
 gloss ; back, shoulders, throat, and breast, a shining coppery- 
 green, with a brownish tint ; wings brown, more or less glossed 
 with green, inner vanes of feathers white towards quills ; tail 
 deep shining green, belly and insides of shoulders ferruginous, 
 bill and legs reddish brown. Length eight inches. 
 
 Inhabits tbe interior of South Africa. 
 
 [68] 
 
249 
 
 [FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL, 
 
 Second Series, APRIL to JUNE, 1834.] 
 
 PART II. 
 
 52 5B5DS* 
 
 ORDER RAPTORES. Vigors. 
 
 BILL stout, covered with a cere at its base, its tip bent down ; 
 less strong, short or of moderate length ; tarsi naked or more or 
 less covered with feathers or down ; toes four, three before and 
 one behind ; claws strong, moveable, arcuated, acute or blunt. 
 
 FAM. GYPOGERANIM].* 
 
 Bill robust, strongly curved at the point ; legs very long, 
 slender, feathered to, or nearly to the tarsi, the latter scutulated 
 or reticulated ; the middle and outer toes united by a small 
 membrane at their base ; wings moderate. 
 
 Genus GYPOGERANUS. Uliger. 
 
 Sill robust, shorter than the head, straight at its lose, curved 
 towards its extremity ; sides compressed ; nostrils lateral, oblong, 
 oblique, open, and situated in the cere ; tongue fleshy and point- 
 ed ; space round eyes naked ; eyebrows prominent ; tarsi scutu- 
 lated ; wings armed with three obtuse spurs ; the first five quilh 
 of equal length; tail feathers twelve. 
 
 Gypogeranus Africanus. Cere, and naked space round eyes, 
 yellow or orange ; bill blackish towards base, light bluish white 
 towards tip ; eyes light brown ; top of head, hinder part of neck, 
 back and shoulders blue-grey ; sides of neck, throat, and breast 
 pale grey ; belly white ; vent and thighs black, most of the 
 feathers narrowly tipt with white. Hindhead with a long crest 
 of narrow black feathers that increase in width towards their 
 points which are generally white ; greater wing coverts and 
 quills black. Tail rounded, the two middle feathers nearly 
 double the length of the others, hoary grey, each with a broad 
 black band towards point, the point itself white ; the lateral 
 
 # Accipitres Gallinace'eB, Lesson, Traite d* Ornitkologie, p. 14. 
 
 I i [69] 
 
250 African Zoology. 
 
 feathers white towards base, ashy towards points, and crossed 
 by two black bands, the first narrow, irregular, and separating 
 the white and grey colours ; the last broad, and near to the 
 extremity ; tips of all the feathers white. Legs and toes yel- 
 lowish brown ; claws black. Length from bill to point of 
 centre tail-feathers three feet five inches. 
 
 Inhabits Africa, common in South Africa. 
 
 Falco serpentarius, Lin. Vultur serpentarius, Lath. pi. 2. 
 Ophiotheres cristatus, Vieill. Gal. pi. 260. Le Mangeur de 
 Serpents, Levail. pi. 25. Secretary Bird of the Cape Colonists. 
 
 FAM. VULTURIDuE. 
 
 Head, and more or less of neck, divested of feathers j the 
 former covered with down, hair, or fleshy membranes ; cere 
 bald or hairy ; tarsi robust and reticulated ; claws weak ; quills 
 longer than the tail, the first quill the shortest ; the fourth the 
 longest. 
 
 Genus VULTUR. Illiger. 
 
 Bill thick and rather short, deeper than broad, its base covered 
 by a cere ; upper mandible straight, bent towards the point ; un- 
 der mandible straight, rounded, and inclined at the point ; head 
 naked or covered with short down ; nostrils naked, lateral, open- 
 ing diagonally towards the edge of the cere ; legs strong, fur- 
 nished with slightly-bent claws; the middle toe longest, and 
 united with the exterior one at the base ; the third and fourth 
 quill feathers longest. 
 
 Vultur arrianus, Picot La Peyr. Colour brown, inclining 
 to black and sometimes to fulvous ; bill brown-black ; cere 
 violet ; eyes dark brown ; head and nape bare ; skin bluish ; the 
 rest of neck covered with a fulvous down ; lower part of neck 
 with a colleret of long narrow delicate feathers ; tarsi partly 
 feathered ; the bare portion, and the toes, greyish ; claws black. 
 Length three feet six inches. 
 
 Young. The entire of the neck covered with down, and all 
 the feathers of the upper parts terminated by a colour of a 
 lighter tint. 
 
 Inhabits Egypt, India, and Europe. 
 
 Le Yautour noir d' Egypt, Savig. Syst. des Ois. d' Egypte, 
 p. 14. L Arnan, Gerard. Tab, elem. d' Orn. vol. i. p. 11. 
 Cinereous, Ash-coloured, and Bengal Vulture, Latham, Ind. 
 Orn. 
 
 Vultur fulvus, Gmel. (Fulvous Vulture.) Head and nape 
 covered with dirty short whitish hairs, or bristles ; lower 
 
 a ^^^ colour ' lower P art of 
 
Birds. 251 
 
 throat, and middle of breast, covered with short, bristly, grey- 
 brown feathers ; rest of throat, sides of neck, and upper part 
 of cervix, with fine whitish down, and bristles resembling those 
 of the head. Skin, as seen through these coverings, between 
 livid blue and purple ; lower part of neck behind with a frizzy 
 ruff of short white feathers ; plumage of upper and under parts 
 white, or a pale blossom colour ; primary quill feathers black ; 
 secondaries greyish, shaded with black towards their shafts ; 
 tail rounded, and composed of fourteen black feathers, tinted 
 with grey. Bill, legs, and toes, livid blue, with shades of 
 dirty green ; claws black ; eyes light yellowish red. Length 
 from three feet to three feet six inches ; breadth from tip to tip 
 of wings, about eight feet. Young specimens are more or less 
 variegated with dull brown. 
 
 Vultur Kolbii, Lath. Ind. Ornith, Supp. vol. i. pi. 10. Le 
 Chassefiente, Le Yaill. Ois. d'Afriq. pi. 10 (young.) White 
 Ass-vogel of the Cape Colonists. 
 
 Vultur auricularis. Bill strong ; tip of upper mandible yel- 
 low ; rest of that, and the lower greenish yellow or horn- colour ; 
 cere bluish ; eyes dark brown ; skin of head, and unfeathered 
 portion of neck, vermilion or livid purple, with white variega- 
 tions ; the head thinly covered with a brownish white down and 
 some black hairs ; the neck bare, or with a still more scanty 
 covering of the like materials ; and on each side thereof a thin 
 fold of loose skin, extending downwards and forwards several 
 inches below the ears, usually about one inch in breadth, and 
 similar in colour to the head. Throat, and middle of breast, 
 covered with fine short black feathers ; back of neck with a 
 ruff of long narrow coarse brownish feathers, many of which 
 are turned forwards ; lower part of cervix, back, and shoulders, 
 dark brown, many of the feathers margined with a lighter tint ; 
 quills and tail black, the latter consisting of twelve feathers. 
 Under parts brownish black, the feathers long, narrow, some- 
 what curved, broadly edged with white towards their bases, 
 narrowly with dirty light brown elsewhere ; thighs with a 
 few brownish feathers on their outer sides, but their principal 
 covering is a fine reddish brown down; legs and toes pale 
 bluish, with a tinge of green ; claws dark horn-coloured, in- 
 clined to black. Length about three feet four or six inches ; 
 expanse of wings ten feet. 
 
 Inhabits Africa. 
 
 Vultur auricularis, Shaw, Zool. vol. i. p. 24. L' Oricou, 
 Le Vaill. Ois. d'Afriq. i. pi. 1. Black Ass-vogel of the Cape 
 Colonists. 
 
 Vultur Galericulatus. Temm. Brow-black; wing coverts 
 varied according to the age with brown, yellow, and whitish ; 
 
 [71] 
 
252 African Zoology. 
 
 the back scapulars and belly pure white; cere blue ; head and 
 neck naked, of a rosy-violet colour; bill yellow ; tarsi flesh- 
 coloured. Total length two feet five inches. 
 Inhabits Western and Northern Africa. 
 
 Vultur monachus, Gmel. Head surmounted by a tuft of 
 brown down ; cheeks and throat covered with a black down ; 
 circle round eyes white. Feathers of the colleret long and 
 slender ; all the naked part of the neck between the collar and 
 the black down, dull white. The lower part of neck naked, 
 the skin bluish and plaited ; tarsi and toes whitish : the entire 
 of the plumage an uniform brown. Length from bill to ex- 
 tremity of tail about three feet. 
 
 Inhabits Africa. 
 
 Voutour chincou, Levaill Afriq. pi. 12. Temm. pi. col. 426. 
 
 Vultur niger, Gmel. (Black vulture). Skin of head and 
 part of neck blue, and covered with down ; the neck with a 
 colleret of long, narrow, bristly feathers ; bill black ; cere, 
 tarsi, and toes bluish. The body, the wings, and the tail, 
 black; the eyelids grey- white. Total length three feet and a 
 half. In birds of the first, second, and third years, the plumage 
 is more or less mixed with brown. 
 
 Inhabits Europe and Africa. 
 
 Egypius Niger, Savigny, Oisseau d* Egypt et de Syrie. 
 
 Vultur occipitalis, Burchell. (Tufted Vulture). Bill and 
 feet flesh-coloured ; bare space round the eyes white ; eyes of 
 the colour of burnt umber ; top of the head covered with a 
 white feathery wool, which, at the back part, is longer and 
 stands in a reversed position. Colour above blackish brown ; 
 the thighs and under-parts of body and neck white ; quill 
 feathers and tail black, the secondaries white towards their ex- 
 tremities. The part of the neck which is bare, together with 
 the base of the beak, white. Total length two feet ; expanse 
 of wings seven feet. 
 
 Inhabits Africa. 
 
 G-enus NEOPHRON. Savigny. 
 
 Bill slender, long and rounded, swelled towards the point, 
 and hooked ; lower mandible shorter than the upper, and trun- 
 cated; nostrils oval and open', cere broad; cheeks and throat 
 naked ; tarsi naked, slender, and reticulated ; third quill feather 
 the longest. Tail composed of fourteen feathers. 
 
Birds. 253 
 
 Neophron JZgyptiaciis, Savig. Bill horn-coloured; cere, 
 forehead, space round the eyes, cheeks, ears, chin, and part of 
 the throat, bare, and of a yellow or saffron colour ; eyes light 
 reddish brown ; plumage white, usually tinted with yellow ; 
 feathers of nape narrow, elongated, and pointed ; primary quill 
 feathers black; secondaries greyish black, with the outer vanes 
 more or less broadly margined with white ; tail fan- shaped, 
 and pure white ; legs and toes dirty greenish white, sometimes 
 inclined to reddish yellow; claws dark horn-coloured. Length 
 from one foot ten inches to two feet two inches ; expanse of 
 wings about five feet. 
 
 Female. A little larger than the male, but of the same 
 colour. 
 
 Young. Black or brownish black, streaked or spotted with 
 dull white or tawny. 
 
 Inhabits Africa. 
 
 Yultur Percnopterus, G-m. L' Ourigourap Le Vaill. Ois d* 
 vl. 14. Le Percnc 
 the Cape Colonists. 
 
 V UlUlU ^ 
 
 Afriy., pi. 14. Le Percnoptere, Cuv" Eegl Animal. White 
 Crow of f 
 
 Neophron niger, Lesson. Plumage brown, variegated with 
 fulvous on the thighs ; tarsi black ; the top of the head, the 
 cheeks, and the front of the neck, entirely bare ; the lower part 
 of neck and the posterior portion almost to the hind-head, 
 covered with a close greyish down. Size of the last. 
 
 Inhabits Senegal. 
 
 Cathartes monachus, Temm. pi. col. 222. 
 
 Neophron carunculatus, Smith. Bill greenish black towards 
 base, dark horn-coloured at tip ; eyes dark brown ; front, 
 crown, sides of head, and upper part of throat bare, and of a 
 purple colour, with eight or ten small white transverse caruncles 
 on the latter. Nape, upper part of neck, and lower part of 
 throat, covered with a light reddish brown down, and between 
 the latter and the caruncles already mentioned, an oval patch 
 of black feathers ; lower part of cervix, interscapulars, and 
 back, deep brown ; the feathers all edged and tipt with a 
 lighter tint ; shoulders nearly the same. Primary wing feathers 
 blackish, with a greyish tinge towards quills ; secondaries black- 
 ish brown, with the colour of the tips and edges lighter than 
 that of the centres ; thighs covered with a white down in addi- 
 tion to some long brown feathers on the outer sides ; legs and 
 toes pale greenish blue ; claws black. Length two feet two 
 inches ; breadth from tip to tip of wing five feet six inches. 
 
 Inhabits Cafferland and the country about Natal. 
 Obs. This may perhaps be identified with the preceding. 
 
 [73] 
 
254 African Zoology. 
 
 Genus G-YPAETUS. 
 
 Bill large, robust, compressed on the sides, rounded above and 
 hooked towards the point ; lower mandible short, straight, and 
 obtuse ; cere basal, covered with strong hairs directed forwards ; 
 nostrils obliqu3, oval, concealed by the down on the base of bill ; 
 top of head covered with down ; tarsi short, thick, feathered ; 
 claws robust, sharp, the inner and hinder ones much curved; 
 the third quill feather the longest ; tail composed of twelve 
 feathers. 
 
 Gypaetus barbatus, Cuvier. Bill black ; head and cervix 
 dirty sallow white ; circle round the eyes, and space between 
 them, and bill, covered with a deep-black hair, as well as each 
 side of lower mandible, at base, also some similar hair under 
 the bill, which is in the form of a large tuft pointing forwards ; 
 hides of two colours, viz. : yellow towards pupil, and fine red 
 towards circumference. Front and part of sides of head behind 
 eyes, as well as base of lower mandible, covered with a dense 
 white down ; rest of head and cervix dusky white, faintly 
 tinged with rufous ; back and shoulders dusky, inclining to 
 black, the centres of the feathers being more or less distinctly, 
 an obscure cinereous black, and the edges clear black, the shafts 
 white. Primary and secondary quill feathers, together with 
 the tail, more or less greyish; throat, breast, belly, and thighs, 
 clear or dull rufous ; toes somewhat granulated, and dusky 
 black. Length about three feet. 
 
 Inhabits Africa and Europe. 
 
 Vultur barbatus et barbarus, Lath. Index Orn. Vultur 
 aureus, Briss. Orn. Arend of the Cape Colonists. 
 
 FAM. FALCONrCLE. 
 
 Head entirely, or in a great measure, covered with feathers ; 
 bill strong, hooked, and furnished with a cere ; border of upper 
 mandible even, or toothed; claws stout, very acute, much 
 curved, and retractile. 
 
 Genus AQUILA. 
 
 Bill very strong, straight near base and curved towards the 
 point; cere hairy, nostril elliptical and transverse; the third, 
 fourth, and fifth quill feathers the longest ; tarsi covered with 
 downy feathers to the toes; tail composed of twelve feathers. 
 
 Aquila n&vw, Linn. Body, head, wings, and tail, shining 
 brown of different tints, lighter towards the rump and thighs; 
 the feathers of the tarsi and under tail coverts are light brown ; 
 tail tipt with light rufous; bill black; eyes, cere, and toes, 
 yellow. Length twenty-two inches. 
 
Birds. 255 
 
 Young. Colour deep shining brown ; wing coverts towards 
 points with large oval greyish white spots ; under tail coverts 
 and secondary quill feathers terminated by large spots of the 
 same colour, and the flanks and thighs are sprinkled with others 
 of a smaller size. 
 
 Inhabits Africa and Europe, common in Egypt. 
 
 Le petite Aigle, Buff. L'Aigle tachete, Guv. Beg. Animal. 
 
 Aquila heliaca, Savig. Top of head and occiput rufous ; 
 the feathers edged with a brighter tint ; body above, shining 
 brown ; beneath, black-brown, with the exception of the belly 
 which is rufous-yellow ; part of the upper wing coverts white. 
 Tail grey-ash with irregular black bands, each feather with a 
 very broad black band towards its point, and tipt with yellowish. 
 Eyes whitish yellow; nostrils linear, with the upper edge 
 notched. Length about two feet and a half ; female three feet. 
 
 Young. Head and neck straw-coloured and whitish ; upper 
 parts of neck and back brown, lightest along the middle of the 
 feathers ; the under parts straw-coloured and striped longitudi- 
 nally with brown-black. 
 
 Inhabits Egypt and Europe. 
 
 Aigle de Thebes, Savig. Ois. <V Egypt. Falco Imperialis, 
 Nam. Aquila mogilnik, G-mel. 
 
 Aquila Vulturina, Shaw. Bill blackish blue, verging here 
 and there to a light horn-colour ; cere deep yellow ; eyes red- 
 dish brown ; space between them and bill pretty thickly set 
 with black bristles ; back and tail coverts white ; plumage else- 
 where deep black ; tail more rounded than in the foregoing 
 species ; toes deep yellow ; claws black. Length from bill to 
 base of tail seventeen inches ; length of latter twelve inches ; 
 expanse of wings about seven feet. 
 
 Young. Head, back, and sides of neck, clear reddish tawny, 
 inclined to a pale chesnut, the interscapular and shoulder 
 feathers dirty brown, edged, and strongly tipt with tawny ; the 
 back a mixture of chesnut, brownish black, and dirty reddish 
 white. Below reddish brown of various tints, with the centres 
 of feathers blackish or blackish brown ; legs light tawny. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Falco Vulturinus, Shaw, Zool. vol. vii. p. 58. Le Caffre, 
 Le Yaill. Dassie-vanger and Berghaan of the Cape Colonists. 
 
 Aquila rapax. Bill livid blue towards base, dark horn- 
 coloured at tip ; cere yellow ; eyes reddish brown ; front, crown, 
 neck, inter scapulars, and back, pale tawny, with here and there 
 brownish variegations ; tail coverts tawny or dirty white ; 
 shoulders varied tawny and dark brown ; scapulars blackish 
 brown, more or less distinctly tipt with reddish white. Primary 
 
256 African Zoology. 
 
 quill feathers blackish brown, some of them edged on outer 
 vanes with tawny, all tipt with reddish white ; secondaries dark 
 dirty brown, narrowly edged and tipt with reddish white ; pri- 
 mary quill feathers black ; secondaries blackish brown on the 
 outer vanes, on the inner greyish, variegated by many transverse 
 dark bands ; tips reddish tawny. Tail rounded, brownish grey, 
 and much mottled by partial indistinct transverse narrow dusky 
 black bands ; tips of feathers all tawny ; under parts tawny 
 with brown variegations, particularly numerous on the flanks 
 and anterior part of the belly ; thighs dark ferruginous ; toes 
 yellow ; claws dark horn-coloured. Length about two feet four 
 inches. 
 
 Young. Prevailing colour chesnut, without the brown varie- 
 gations of the older bird ; feathers of the head and back of 
 neck tipt with light tawny. Tail dirty brownish grey, tipt with 
 reddish white ; cere and toes dull yellow ; claws black ; eyes 
 yellow. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, common. 
 
 Falco rapax, Temm. pi. 455. Falco naevioides? Guv. 
 Aquila choka, Smith. South African Quarterly Journal, vol. i. 
 p. 114. Chok of the Cape Colonists. 
 
 Aquila Bellicosa, Daudin. Bill bluish at the base, black 
 elsewhere ; eyes fine brown ; space between them and bill thin- 
 ly covered with black bristles ; plumage of hindhead a little 
 elongated, so as to form a very slight crest. Feathers of head, 
 and of back and sides of neck, variegated blackish brown and 
 white ; interscapulars, back, tail coverts, and shoulders, more 
 or less deep brown; with the tips of all the feathers, but 
 particularly of those of the latter, dusky white ; throat, 
 breast, belly, and legs, pure white. Primary wing feathers 
 black, tipt with white ; secondaries alternately banded with 
 dusky blackish brown and dull hoary grey, all broadly 
 tipt with white. Tail slightly rounded, with each feather 
 banded more or less directly across by black and hoary grey, 
 the latter usually passing to white towards the inner margins of 
 the inner vanes, all distinctly tipt with white. Tarsi and toes a 
 light livid green, inclining sometimes to yellowish green ; claws 
 deep black and much curved. Length from bill to base of tail 
 twenty inches ; length of latter twelve inches ; expanse of wings 
 about eight feet and a half. 
 
 'Young. Above blackish brown ; throat and breast nearly 
 black ; belly and legs dull white with black blotches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Falco Armiger, Shaw. vii. 57. Le GrifEard, Le Vaill. 
 
 (To be continued.) 
 [76] 
 
273 
 
 [FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL, 
 APEIL to JUNE, 1834.] 
 
 AEEICAN ZOOLOGY: 
 
 By DR. SMITH. 
 
 Continued from page 256. 
 
 Aquila coronata. Crested, crest white with some brown 
 variegation towards shafts of feathers ; head, neck, breast, 
 belly, under tails coverts, and legs, white, the latter blotched 
 particularly on outer- sides with black-brown. Back of the 
 neck faintly spotted in some specimens with brown, and the 
 under tail coverts obscurely banded with the same colour ; 
 back brown-grey, the feathers margined with white ; upper 
 tail coverts white, broadly banded with brownish black ; 
 shoulders dull brown, all the feathers margined with white and 
 most of them blackish towards shafts ; scapulars grey-brown, 
 margined with white. Primary wing coverts black, margined 
 with white ; primary quill feathers dull brown, banded with 
 black, the tips black ; secondary quill feathers dusky grey, 
 banded with black, tips white ; the inner surfaces of wings prin- 
 cipally white. Tail black with three or four hoary grey bands, 
 tips of all the feathers white. Bill black, base of lower mandi- 
 ble yellow ; toes yellow ; claws black. Length of male thirty- 
 three inches, of female thirty-seven inches. 
 
 Young. Above black clouded with brown; upper tail 
 coverts tipt with white ; beneath variegated freely with pale 
 rufous, in somewhat transverse bands on breast and belly ; legs 
 white, closely spotted with black ; tail black, with two broad 
 hoary bands, and the tips of feathers tawny white. Crest black, 
 the feathers tawny towards quills. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa and Guinea. 
 
 Crowned Eagle, Edwards, pi. 224. 
 
 Obs. This species has generally been confounded with the last; it 
 is, however, perfectly distinct. In the Bellicosa the wings are longer, 
 the tail has a much greater number of bands, and no crest exists either in 
 young or old specimens. In the present species the head is much 
 smaller and rounder than in the last, the base of the lower mandible is, 
 at all ages, of a yellow colour ; and when the wings are folded the points 
 of the primary feathers scarcely reach beyond those of the secondaries. 
 
 Genus HALIAETUS. Savigny. 
 
 Bill strong, convex above and hooked at the point ; nostrils 
 lunated, transverse ; cere hairy ; tarsi half-feathered, scutellated 
 before, reticulated behind ; tail rounded or cuneform. 
 
 Haliaetus blagrus. Bill brownish ; eyes deep brown ; head, 
 neck, breast, belly, and thighs, satin white, with the feathers of 
 the head and back of the neck edged with brown. Scapulars 
 and secondary wing coverts light greyish brown ; tail the same, 
 with the exception of the tip which is white. Primary wing 
 
 M m [77] 
 
274 African Zoology. 
 
 feathers blackish ; outer vanes of secondaries like the scapu- 
 lars ; legs and feet yellowish ; claws black. Length about two 
 
 feet. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, very rare. 
 
 Falco blagrus, Shaw, Zool Le Blagre, Le Vaill. Afriq. pi 5. 
 
 Haliaetus vocifer. Bill black ; cere, and space between it 
 and eyes yellow, and thinly covered with black hair ; " eyes 
 reddish brown." Head, neck, interscapulars, anterior part of 
 back, and breast, pure white ; the feathers of the head, back 
 of neck, and interscapulars, with their shafts, brownish red ; 
 belly and thighs deep chesnut. Primary and secondary wing 
 coverts, as well as primary and secondary wing feathers, deep 
 shining black ; tail slightly rounded, and pure white ; legs and 
 toes deep yellow ; claws black. Length from bill to root of 
 tail twenty-five inches ; length of latter eight inches. 
 
 Young. Brown above, white beneath, variegated more or 
 less with longitudinal brownish black stripes or blotches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, along the coasts and near the mouths 
 of rivers. 
 
 Falco vocifer, Shaw. Le Vocifer, Le Vaill. pi. 4. 
 
 Genus HELOTAESUS. Smith. 
 
 Bill robust, compressed, curved from the base, and strongly 
 hooked ; cere smooth ; lores hairy ; nostrils semilunar, vertical. 
 Tarsi robust, short, covered with feathers below the joint, the 
 bare portion with rough elevated scales ; toes scutellated towards 
 claws. Tail even, and shorter than the wings ; second quill 
 feather the longest. Form robust. 
 
 Helotarsus typicus. Tip of bill black; base and the cere 
 orange ; eyes deep red ; head, neck, and under parts, clear 
 black; interscapulars, back, and tail, clear deep chesnut; 
 shoulders greyish brown; primary and secondary wing coverts 
 black ; primary wing feathers with both vanes grey, and the 
 inner ones edged near quills with white ; secondaries cinerous 
 grey, with the inner vanes edged with white ; and each feather 
 broadly tipt with fine shining black ; scapulars black ; tail 
 slightly rounded, and the wings, when folded, about three 
 inches longer than it. Tarsi reddish, more or less inclined to 
 orange ; toes similarly coloured ; claws black. Length from 
 bill to base of tail seventeen inches ; length of latter five inches 
 and a half. 
 
 Young. Cere bluish ; bill horn-coloured ; feet and tarsi yel- 
 lowish ; plumage brown, lightest on the head and neck, most 
 of the feathers with the edges and tips of a fainter hue ; pri- 
 mary and secondary wing feathers blackish, tinged with grey ; 
 tail blackish brown : claws black. 
 
 [78] 
 
Birds. 275 
 
 Inhabits South Africa and Senegal. 
 
 Falco ecaudatus, Shaw, Zool. Terathopius ecaudatus, 
 Lesson. Le Bateleur, Le Vaill. pi 7 & 8. 
 
 Genus CIRCA.ETTJS. Vieillot. 
 
 Sill strong, straight at the base, convex, compressed, and 
 hooked at the point, edges nearly straight ; cere hairy ; nostrils 
 roundish; tarsi moderate, elongated, naked, and reticulated; 
 toes short; wings as long as the tail; the latter graduated, 
 cuneform, and consisting of twelve feathers. 
 
 Circaetus cinereus, Vieill. G-eneral colour dull grey, verging 
 in some places to rufous. Primary quill feathers black ; tail 
 above, brown with five white transverse bands ; beneath, grey 
 with the same number of pure white bands ; tarsi and toes yel- 
 lowish black. Length nearly twenty-two inches. 
 
 Inhabits Senegal. 
 
 Circaetus thoracinus, Guv. Bill dark horn-coloured ; eyes 
 fine yellow ; head, together with the back and sides of neck, 
 blackish brown, the former often with a slight tinge of grey ; 
 interscapulars, back, tail coverts, and shoulders, blackish 
 brown, each feather more or less distinctly tipt with a dusky 
 or pure white ; throat variegated black and white ; breast pure 
 black or brownish black ; belly, under tail coverts, and thighs, 
 pure white. Primary quill feathers black, with the exception 
 of the greater portion of the inner vane of each, towards its 
 base, which is white ; secondaries marked by transverse black 
 and greyish, or greyish white bands, and distinctly tipt with 
 white. Tail nearly even and composed of twelve feathers, 
 each of which has, or may be said to have, white, or grey and 
 white as the ground colour, and is crossed more or less 
 completely by three broad black bands. When the two colours 
 first mentioned occur in the same specimen, the grey occupies 
 only the outer vanes towards the tips, and sometimes a little 
 of the inner ones near the shafts, whilst the white appears in 
 all other situations. When viewed below the whole ground 
 colour appears a pure white, and the three transverse bands a 
 dusky black. Legs and toes livid white, with a tint of greenish ; 
 claws black. Length from bill to base of tail fourteen inches ; 
 length of tail nine inches and a half. 
 
 Young. Dull earthy brown ; second year, brownish above, 
 and white mottled with black blotches beneath ; throat and 
 anterior portion of breast black. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Circaetus pectoralis, Smith. South African Quarterly Journal, 
 vol. i. 
 
 [79] 
 
276 African Zoology, 
 
 Circaetus Bacha. Head above black; hindhead with a 
 transverse crest, the feathers white towards their bases, else- 
 where black ; black dull earthy brown ; upper tail coverts 
 sprinkled with white spots: shoulders blackish brown, sprinkled 
 with white spots ; quill feathers black, tipt with white, the 
 primaries with a broad baud of greyish brown towards points, 
 the inner vanes towards quills white, undulated with black. 
 Sides of neck, and throat, brown or brown-black ; under parts 
 dull brown, freely mottled with white spots ; under tail coverts 
 brown, banded with white. Tail rounded, black, and crossed 
 towards point by a broad grey-white band clouded with dusky ; 
 all the feathers finely tipt with white. Bill lead-coloured ; 
 lower mandible towards base, and the naked space round eyes, 
 yellow. Tarsi and toes yellowish ; claws black. Eyes deep 
 brown-red. Length of the male twenty-three inches, of the 
 female twenty-eight inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, Java, and India. 
 
 Falco Bacha, Baud. Orn. Le Bacha, Le Vaill. pi. 15. 
 
 Obs. When I classed this bird some time ago in the genus Cymindis, 
 I had not an opportunity of examining its characters, but was guided 
 entirely by the example of Mr. Stephens. Since that I have met with 
 several specimens, and have satisfied myself that it is closely allied to 
 the CircaJiti, and more entitled to be ranked in that genus than in Buteo. 
 The reticulated tarsi and its general form bespeak the affinity. 
 
 Genus MOEPHNUS. Cuvier. 
 
 Bill large, almost straight, convex above and curved at the 
 point ; nostrils elliptical ; tarsi slender, long, naked, and scu- 
 tellated, or covered to the toes; wings shorter than the tail; 
 fourth quill feather the longest. 
 
 Morphnus albescens. Bill lead-coloured ; eyes fine yellow ; 
 head with a small crest ; the whole plumage white, clouded 
 with blackish brown upon the mantle, and soft to the touch. 
 Tail rayed transverely black and white; primary wing feathers 
 with the outer vanes brownish, and the inner ones rayed ; claws 
 a leaden colour. Length about two feet six or eight inches. 
 
 Young. Brown more abundant in the plumage ; all the 
 shoulder feathers edged with rufous. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, Autenaqualand. 
 
 Falco albescens, Shaw, Zool. vol. vii. p. 93. Le Blanchard, 
 Le Vaill. Ois. Afriq. pi. 3. 
 
 Morphnus occipitalis. Above blackish brown, inclining to 
 black, in old individuals ; below the same colour, only of a 
 darker tint ; head and crest blacker than the other parts : the 
 latter composed of several feathers, most of them of different 
 
 ' ^ 10ngeSt betWeen five and six inches ' Primai and 
 
Birds. 277 
 
 secondary wing coverts blackish brown, with more or less of the 
 inner vane of each feather white ; primary wing feathers white 
 towards quills, blackish brown elsewhere ; in the outermost 
 ones the white occurs only upon the inner vanes, in the next to 
 them it occupies both vanes, and in the still more internal, the 
 white is crossed by black bands ; outer vanes of secondaries 
 an uniform dusky brown, inner ones brown and dusky or pure 
 white in alternate transverse bands. Tail slightly rounded, each 
 feather marked with white ; greyish white, or reddish white 
 and black alternate bands ; the number of the first description 
 is usually three, besides some irregular ones or only spots to- 
 wards quills ; the bands seldom extend completely across, but 
 have the extremities on each side commonly margined with the 
 same black as the other bands, and between the last light- 
 coloured one, and the tip nearly two inches of uniform black ; 
 bill and claws black ; cere and toes yellowish. Length from 
 bill to base of tail nineteen inches ; length of latter nine inches. 
 
 Young. Plumage brown, feathers margined with rufous. 
 
 Inhabits Africa. 
 
 Falco occipitalis, Daudin, Ois. ii. p. 40. Shaw, vii. p. 59. 
 Nisser Tokoor, Bruce. Le Huppard, Le Vaill. Ois. Afr. pi. 2. 
 Kuifkop Valk of the Colonists. 
 
 Genus POLYBOROIDES. Smith* 
 
 Bill compressed particularly towards culmen, slightly arched 
 from base, moderately hooked at the point ; nostrils longitudinal, 
 linear ; cere smooth ; sides of head to some distance behind eyes 
 bare. Tarsi long, slender, laterally compressed and reticulated ; 
 toes long and slender, the middle one connected to the outer by a 
 slight web at base; claws long, slender, and much curved. 
 Wings nearly as long as tail ; the fourth and fifth feathers the 
 longest. 
 
 Polyboroides typicus, Smith. Head, neck, and breast, dark 
 blue-grey ; back scapulars and shoulders light grey, variegated 
 with very fine undulating dull white lines; hinder portion of 
 back, upper and under tail coverts, belly, thighs, and insides 
 of shoulders, white, with fine transverse black lines ; intersca- 
 pulars, each with a black blotch near its point. Primary wing 
 coverts dark grey tipt with white, and with a broad black band 
 near the point. Primary wing feathers black, the outer vanes 
 towards quills grey, the inner ones white, undulated with black, 
 tips white. Tail dark green-black, crossed by a distinct broad 
 white band, finely undulated with black near the extremity, and 
 by some irregular ones toward the base ; the tips of all the 
 
 * South African Quarterly Journal, March 1830. 
 
 [81] 
 
278 African Zoology. 
 
 feathers white. Bill dark horn-coloured ; cere and base of 
 lower mandible yellow ; tarsi and toes yellow-brown ; claws 
 black. Length two feet four inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa and Madagascar. 
 
 Falco gymnogenys, Temm, pi. 307-. G-ymnogenys Madagas- 
 cariensis, Lesson. 
 
 06s. Two specimens from Madagascar which I have examined, differed 
 only from the South African one in my possession, by being smaller and 
 of a lighter colour. They were probably male birds, and mine is a female. 
 
 Fam. ACCIPITRINA. 
 
 Bill convex, curved from the base, hooked, upper mandible 
 with a more or less distinct festoon on its edge, lower mandible 
 shorter and obtuse ; nostrils almost oval ; tarsi nearly or com- 
 pletely naked, slender ; claws large, very sharp ; wings shorter 
 than the tail, fourth quill feather the longest. 
 
 Genus ACCIPITER. Ray. 
 
 Tarsi generally slender, scutellated; body slender; claw of 
 inner toe very strong; nostrils rounded, transverse; wings ex- 
 tend a little beyond the base of tail, the latter rounded, gra- 
 duated or slightly forked. 
 
 Accipiter monogrammicus, Lesson. Ashy grey ; throat white 
 with a longitudinal black line ; belly finely striated with brown ; 
 tarsi and cere reddish. 
 
 Inhabits Senegal. 
 
 Falco monogrammicus, Temm. pi. col. 314. 
 
 Accipiter polyzonus, Lesson. Bill and cere brown, the base 
 of the lower mandible, and the festoon of upper, yellowish ; a 
 narrow space round eyes naked ; plumage above an uniform 
 ashy brown ; throat whitish, finely rayed transversely with 
 brown ; anterior part of neck, breast, and belly, dull 'white, 
 regularly rayed with transverse brown or pale rufous bars ; vent 
 and under tail coverts white, with some fine transverse brown 
 lines ; wing feathers light brown, banded with dark brown ; 
 inner vanes marked with white towards quills. Tail long, even 
 or slightly forked, beneath ash-white with transverse brown 
 bands, above brown with darker transverse bands, and the 
 inner vanes of central feathers with two or three narrow white 
 bars ; the tips of all the feathers white. Tarsi long, and with 
 the toes yellow ; claws black. Length sixteen inches and a 
 half. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Falco polyzonos. Temm. 
 
 [821 
 
Birds. 279 
 
 Accipiter niger. (Black Sparrow Hawk.) Colour a fine 
 black ; the feathers of nape and upper part of neck white at 
 their bases ; tail feathers above, each, tinted with three white 
 spots, and beneath, with four pure white spots, which form 
 transverse bands when the tail is spread ; the first band to- 
 wards the root, the next on the second-third of the tail, and the 
 last a little distance from the extremity. Primary quill feathers 
 grey- white with some small black spots variegated with ashy ; 
 secondaries black ; eyes yellow ; cere and feet orange. Length 
 nine inches. 
 
 Inhabits Senegal, very rare. 
 
 Accipiter Gabar. Bill dark horn-coloured ; cere deep red ; 
 eyes light crimson ; head, neck, inter scapular, back, and 
 shoulders, dirty brownish or reddish grey; chin, throat, sides 
 of neck, and breast, light bluish grey or pale slate colour ; belly 
 and thighs banded lightish black and clear white. Primary 
 quill feathers nearly an uniform dark brown on the outer vanes, 
 whilst the inner ones are marked by alternate bands of blackish 
 brown and dirty light white. Tail slightly rounded, feathers 
 brownish black, crossed by three transverse bands, which ap- 
 pear when viewed above, of a pale dusky white or greyish 
 white, and when seen below, of a pure white ; the tips of all 
 pure white ; legs and toes red ; claws horn-coloured. Length 
 from bill to base of tail six inches ; length of latter six inches 
 and a quarter. 
 
 Young. Bill nearly as in mature specimens ; cere and eyes 
 yellow ; head and neck variegated blackish brown and rufous, 
 the latter most abundant on the sides of the last named part 
 interscapulars and back an uniform dark brown, with the ex- 
 ception of some very slight variegations, occasioned by many of 
 the feathers being indistinctly tipt with rufous ; shoulder 
 feathers dark brown, tipt and edged more broadly with light 
 rufous ; tail coverts white. Chin, throat, and breast, light 
 rufous, more or less variegated by longitudinal stripes of dark 
 brown or blackish brown ; belly and thighs marked by alternate 
 narrow bands of dirty black and pale rufous ; primary and 
 secondary quill feathers nearly as in old specimens ; tail black- 
 ish brown, crossed by four white bands, besides each feather 
 having a white tip and some spots of a like colour near quill ; 
 legs and toes yellow ; claws horn-coloured. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa and Senegal. 
 
 Falco Gabar, Daud. Le Gabar, Le Vaill. pi. 33. 
 
 Accipiter Tachiro. Bill bluish black, with a small yellowish 
 spot on the edge of the tooth of the upper mandible, and 
 another opposite to it, on base of lower ; cere yellow ; upper 
 
 [83] 
 
280 African Zoology. 
 
 parts dull brown ; the feathers of nape all white towards quills ; 
 chin and throat pure white ; sides of neck white, with narrow 
 transverse brown bands ; breast and belly white, banded trans- 
 Tersely with brown, the bands few towards the middle, but 
 numerous on the sides ; under tail coverts white, irregularly 
 crossed by a few narrow brownish lines ; thighs tawny white, 
 with broa'dish transverse brown bands. Primary wing feathers 
 brown, banded on the inner vanes by black towards their tips, 
 and by black and nearly clear white towards quills ; secondaries 
 the same as primaries, with the exception of the white being 
 more abundant on the inner vanes. Tail slightly rounded, of a 
 light brown colour, and crossed by four broad blackish bands, 
 the tips of all the feathers more or less white ; legs and toes 
 yellow ; claws black. Length fourteen inches and a half ; the 
 female nineteen inches and a half. 
 
 Young. Above brown, feathers edged and tipt with rufous ; 
 throat white, with a longitudinal black stripe ; under parts 
 white with longitudinal black blotches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Le Tachiro, Le Vaill. Ois. d' Afriq. pi. 29. 
 
 Accipiter Francesii. Head and hinder part of neck blue- 
 grey ; back and shoulders dark slate-colour ; sides of neck 
 fight blue-grey ; under parts and insides of shoulders pure white ; 
 wing feathers brownish black, inner vanes near quills white with 
 narrow transverse black bands. Tail, above a dark slate colour 
 with a greenish tinge, the lateral feathers of a lighter tint with 
 their inner vanes tinged brown, beneath white, more or fewer of 
 the feathers with five or six transverse black bands on the inner 
 vanes, the outer feather of each side with the bands scarcely 
 perceptible, the tips a dull white. Upper mandible horn-co- 
 loured, lightest towards the point ; under mandible yellow; legs 
 and toes yellow ; claws black. Length from bill to tip of tail 
 eleven inches. 
 
 Inhabits Madagascar. 
 
 To Lady Frances Cole I am indebted for the only specimen I possess 
 of this apparently undescribed species, and the name it bears in the 
 South African Museum is an indication of the high respect entertained for 
 Her Ladyship as a well known and zealous Patroness of Science. 
 
 Accipiter mmicus. Head, neck, and breast, light bluish 
 grey ; back and scapulars dark slate-colour ; upper tail coverts 
 white ; shoulders silver grey, finely mottled with black. Pri- 
 mary wing converts hoary, inclined"to greyish black ; secondary 
 coverts white, mottled with narrow tortuous black lines. Pri- 
 mary wing feathers brownish black, variegated on inner vanes 
 towards quills with lines or streaks of white ; secondaries pure 
 
 [84] 
 
Birds. 281 
 
 white, here and there dotted or finely streaked with black ; 
 belly, thighs, and under tail coverts, finely banded black and 
 white. Tail slightly rounded, the two centre feathers blackish 
 grey, the rest blackish, or blackish grey and white in different 
 proportions, the latter particularly abundant in the two outer- 
 most ones of each side, all, with the exception of the two mid- 
 dle ones, broadly tipt with white. Upper and lower mandibles 
 at base orange-coloured, elsewhere black. Cere, tarsi, and 
 toes, red ; claws black. Length twenty inches. 
 
 Young.' Bill blackish, with a little of the base of each man- 
 dible yellow ; cere greenish yellow ; eyes greyish yellow, in- 
 clined to pure yellow ; head, neck, and back, brown, the 
 feathers of the two former white towards quills ; tail coverts 
 white, with a triangular brown spot near the tip of each ; 
 shoulders brown, with the feathers edged and tipt with reddish 
 white ; belly, thighs, and under tail coverts, marked with 
 alternate broad irregular brown and white bands. Primary 
 wing coverts brown, tipt with white ; primary wing feathers 
 reddish brown, banded with black, the outer vanes tinted with 
 grey ; secondaries bluish grey, banded with black, and tipt with 
 white ; tail with reddish grey and blackish brown transverse 
 bands, the former four in number; legs and toes somewhat 
 flesh-coloured ; claws black. 
 
 Inhabits Africa, common in South Africa. 
 
 Fak-o Musicus, Daud. Orn. p. 116. Le Faucon chanteur, 
 Le Vaill. pi. 27. Blaauwe Valk of the Cape Colonists. 
 
 Accipiter rufiventris, Lath. Head, upper part of neck, back, 
 and upper tail coverts, blue-grey or ashy brown ; sides of neck, 
 throat, breast, anterior parts of belly and thighs, light rufous ; 
 hinder part of belly, vent, and under tail coverts, pure white. 
 Wing feathers dirty brown, the inner vanes banded with black 
 and blotched towards quills with white. Tail above brown- 
 black with four brownish grey transverse bands, beneath white 
 with dark brown bands ; tips of all the feathers white. Bill 
 black, the festoon and base of lower mandible yellow ; legs, 
 toes, and cere, yellow ; claws black. Length of male ten inches, 
 of female fourteen inches. 
 
 Young. Above brown, the feathers of head, neck, and 
 shoulders, margined with rufous ; beneath light rufous or ru- 
 fous-white, variegated with slender longitudinal streaks. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Accipiter mmullus, Lath. Head, neck, and back, a dark 
 slate colour ; upper tail coverts white, spotted or banded with 
 black. Chin and throat white, finely mottled or indistinctly 
 rayed with black ; sides of breast and belly rufous, middle of 
 
 N n [85] 
 
282 African Zoology. 
 
 breast and anterior part of belly, pure white, all rayed trans- 
 versely with narrow brown-black bands ; hinder parts of belly 
 and under tail coverts pure white. Primary wing feathers 
 brownish, the inner vans with transverse dusky black bands ; 
 secondaries brownish, inner vanes edged with white and crossed 
 bv black bands. Tail slightly rounded, the outer vanes of 
 feathers bro wn-black,spotted or irregularly banded with reddish 
 brown ; inner vanes black, and partially crossed in three differ- 
 ent positions by white ; tips of all the feathers white. Bill 
 black ; cere, legs, and toes, yellow ; claws black. Length 
 of male ten inches, of female twelve inches. 
 
 Young. Above brown, feathers margined with rufous ; be- 
 neath rufous, blotched or banded transversely with black -brown ; 
 throat but slighly spotted. 
 
 Inhabits Africa, forests of South Africa. 
 
 Le Minule, Le Vaill. pi. 34. 
 
 Accipiter melanoleucus, Smith. Above black with a faint tint 
 of brown ; below deep black. Primary quill feathers black, the 
 inner vanes towards quills spotted or irregularly banded with 
 white ; secondaries dusky brown clouded with black, and the 
 inner vanes spotted with white ; scapulars brown with some 
 white blotches on both vanes. Tail slightly rounded, black, 
 with four or five tawny brown bands, the outer feathers more 
 or less blotched with white towards quills, the centre ones 
 without variegations. Bill black, with the festoon and a spot 
 on the lower mandible yellow ; legs and toes greenish yellow; 
 claws black. Length about twenty inches. 
 
 Middle age. Above black, beneath white blotched more or 
 less with black. 
 
 Young. Head rufous, longitudinally streaked with brown ; 
 back brown, the feathers margined with rufous ; under parts 
 rufous, variegated with longitudinal brown stripes. Tail slight- 
 ly rounded, each feather with four or five transverse black 
 bands, and the spaces between them brown, finelv mottled with 
 white ; some of the black bands are somewhat arrow-shaped, 
 with their distal edges margined tawny white. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Accipiter melanoleucus, Smith, South African Quarterly 
 Journal, vol. i. p. 229. 
 
 06*. Naturalists who see reason for separating the larger and more 
 robust species from the smaller and more slender ones, would rank this 
 as an Astur. 
 
 Accipiter Madagascariensis, Verreaux. Above dull brown 
 with an irregular white spot on the nape ; below white, finely 
 barred with brown-black ; vent and under tail coverts pure 
 
 [86] 
 
Birds. 283 
 
 white. Wing feathers brown with transverse black bands, 
 inner vanes towards quills white ; insides of shoulders white, 
 barred with black. Tail brown above, ashy white beneath, 
 and both surf aces marked with eight narrow brown-black trans- 
 verse bands. Length thirteen inches and a half. 
 Inhabits Madagascar. 
 
 SUB-FAM. MILVINA. 
 
 Bill moderate, curved from the base ; cere naked ; nostrils 
 oblique, oval, or ellipitical ; tarsi short, slender ; toes weak ; 
 wings very long ; tail slightly or deeply forked or graduated, 
 and composed of twelve feathers. 
 
 Genus MILVUS. Cuvier. 
 
 Bill moderately robust ; nostrils elliptical, oblique ; tarsi short, 
 slender, and scutellated; fourth quill feather the longest. Tail 
 deltoidal forked or graduated; claws robust. 
 
 Milvus parasiticus. Bill and cere yellow ; eyes dark brown ; 
 head and neck pale tawny, each feather with a longitudinal 
 blackish brown streak which includes the shaft; interscapulars, 
 back, tail coverts, and shoulders, brown, the feathers tipt with 
 a lighter tint ; chin and throat streaked longitudinally with 
 brown and dirty white; breast and belly dirty dull rufous, with 
 a narrow stripe of black along the centre of each feather; 
 under tail coverts and thighs rufous ; primary and secondary 
 wing coverts blackish brown, with light tips. Primary wing 
 feathers black, mottled slightly with white on inner vanes to- 
 wards quills ; secondaries brown, with the inner vanes crossed 
 by indistinct dusky bands. Tail slightly forked, reddish brown, 
 with eight or nine narrow blackish transverse bands, and the 
 tips of all the feathers reddish white ; legs and toes yellow ; 
 claws black. Length twenty inches. 
 
 Young. Bill black ; colour above dark brown, the feathers 
 tipt with tawny white or pale rufous ; beneath brown, feathers 
 tawny white towards tips, shafts black ; under tail coverts sub- 
 rufous. 
 
 Inhabits Africa, common in South Africa. 
 
 Le Parasite, Le Yaill. Ois. Afriq. pi. 22. Kucken-duif of 
 the Cape Colonists. 
 
 Genus ELANUS. Savigny. 
 
 Tarsi short, reticulated, and half covered with feathers below 
 the knees ; wings long ; tail slightly forked or moderately gra- 
 duated. 
 
 Elanus Ccesius, Savig. Bill black ; cere yellow ; eyes red ; 
 front and eyebrows white ; crown and back of neck light 
 
 [87] 
 
284 African Zoology. 
 
 bluish grey ; interscapulars, back, rump, and scapulars, bluish 
 grey ; shoulders jet black ; chin, throat, breast, belly, vent, 
 and inside of wings, pure white. Primary and secondary wing 
 coverts bluish grey, with the edges of inner vanes white, and 
 some of the feathers distinctly tipt with that colour ; primary 
 quill feathers hoary grey, shaded towards tips with reddish 
 brown ; secondaries bluish grey. Tail slightly forked, pale 
 bluish white ; shafts dark reddish brown ; legs and toes yellow ; 
 claws black. Length eleven inches. 
 
 Young. Bill black ; base of under mandible, and the part 
 of the upper one adjoining it, yellowish ; front reddish white ; 
 crown and back of neck dusky, slightly variegated with very 
 fine reddish tawny streaks ; interscapulars dirty blackish blue, 
 with fine reddish white tips ; back uniform dusky blue ; scapu- 
 lars dirty blackish blue, with a tinge of brown, and all broadly 
 tipt with dull white ; shoulders black, many of the feathers 
 faintly tipt with white. Primary and secondary wing coverts 
 bluish grey, many of them with white tips ; primary wing 
 feathers blackish blue with white tips; secondaries with reddish 
 white tips. Chin and throat white ; breast and belly pale 
 tawny or dull reddish white ; thighs white. Tail a pale dusky 
 blue with shades of brown ; part of edges of inner vanes white ; 
 tips of feathers white or tawny ; legs and toes yellow ; claws 
 black. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Elanus Melanopterus, Leach. Falco melanopterus, Daud. 
 Orn. Le Blac, Le Vaill. Ois. d'Afriq. &c. 36 & 37. 
 
 Genus NAUCLERUS. Vigors. 
 
 Bill weak, compressed ; nostrils sub-oval, oblique ; wings 
 long, second and third quills longest ; tail long and deeply 
 forked; tarsi short, weak, and reticulated ; feathered below the 
 knees. 
 
 Nauclerus Riocourii, Vigors. Body above ashy grey ; be- 
 low pure white; a white stripe on the forehead ; a line before 
 and behind the eye black. Tail grey ; bill black ; cere and 
 tarsi yellow ; second quill feather the longest. Length fourteen 
 inches and a half. 
 
 Inhabits Senegal. 
 
 Elanoides Eiocurii, Vieill. 
 
 SUB-FAM. BUTEONINA. 
 
 Bill curved from the base, the edges entire ; tarsi naked or 
 covered with feathers ; wings almost as long as the tail ; figure 
 rather robust. 
 
 [88] 
 
Birds. 285 
 
 Genus PEENIS. Cuvier. 
 
 Bill curved from the base, edges sharp, culmen nearly sharp ; 
 tarsi short, moderately strong, reticulated, and with scutce on 
 the toes; space between angle of mouth and eye covered ivith 
 feathers like scales ; nostrils, oblique narrow slits at the anterior 
 edges of cere; tail and wings long-, tarsi half covered with 
 feathers below the knees. 
 
 Pernis Madagascariensis, Smith.* Above, dark brown of va- 
 rious tints, the feathers of the head more or less distinctly mar- 
 gined with rufous ; beneath, dull brown dashed with white, 
 particularly on the throat and the breast ; most of the feathers 
 on belly narrowly tipt with white ; hinder part of belly, vent, 
 under tail coverts, and legs, white ; some brown spots on the 
 outer sides of thighs. Quill feathers light brown, .transversely 
 banded with dark brown, and the inner vanes towards quills 
 crossed with white ; the tips of most of them dull white. Tail 
 above dark brown ; towards base banded with white, towards 
 tip with brown grey, the tips themselves white ; beneath, white 
 crossed with about four dark brown bands. Bill dark horn- 
 coloured ; lower mandible yellow towards base ; naked portion 
 of tarsi and toes yellow ; claws dark horn-coloured. Length 
 eighteen inches. 
 
 Young. Above, light brown; the feathers, particularly those 
 of the shoulders, tipt with rufous white; beneath, fulvous 
 dashed with white, and the feathers of breast and belly tipt 
 with white. 
 
 Inhabits Madagascar. 
 
 Obs. Most of the feathers of head, neck, and body, pure white to- 
 wards quills. 
 
 Genus BUTEO. Bechst. 
 
 Bill curved from the base ; edges a little waved, culmen 
 rounded ; angle of mouth under the eyes ; spaces between nostrils 
 and eyes covered with hair ; nostrils irregularly rounded, naked 
 and open ; tarsi robust, scutellated before, reticulated behind ; 
 tail slightly rounded. 
 
 Buteo Jackal. Bill black with the exception of a little of 
 the lower mandible at its base, which, and the cere, are dull 
 yellow ; eyes dark brown ; head, neck, back, shoulders, chin, 
 and throat, black or blackish brown ; breast deep chestnut or 
 ferruginous red ; belly, under tail coverts, and thighs, black ; 
 all the feathers broadly tipt with white or ferruginous red. 
 Primary wing feathers black, with a tint of hoary upon the 
 
 * This species has not the scale-like feathers of Pernis, but in other 
 respects it exhibits most of the characters of the genus. 
 
 [89] 
 
280 African Zoology. 
 
 outer vanes, and the inner ones towards quills broadly edged 
 with, if not altogether, white ; secondaries bluish grey, with 
 many transverse narrow black bands, the very tips of some of 
 the feathers are white. Tail short, nearly even, and deep ches- 
 nut or ferruginous red, each feathed marked by a black blotch 
 close to tip, and all, more or less mottled with white towards 
 quills ; legs and toes dull yellow ; claws dark horn-coloured. 
 Length from bill to base of tail twelve inches ; length of latter 
 eight inches. 
 
 Young. Above dull brown, most of the feathers edged with 
 tawny ; beneath, pale fulvous ; the throat and sides of neck 
 with longitudinal black blotches ; tail grey-brown banded with 
 black. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, very common. 
 
 Falco Jackal, Shaw. Tiool. vii. p. 173. Le Eunoir, Le Vaill. 
 Ois. Afriq. pi. 16. Jackal- vogel of the Cape Colonists. 
 
 Obs. The plumage of this species is subject to endlesa variety. 
 
 Buteo tachardus. Bill black, with the base of lower mandi- 
 ble, and a small portion of the upper adjoining it, yellow; cere 
 yellow; eyes brown. Head, neck, back, and rump, brown, with 
 the edges and tips of the feathers rufous, and the bases of many 
 of them, particularly on the head and neck, white ; many of 
 those of neck, back, and shoulders, clouded, spotted, or crossed 
 by irregular white streaks. Under parts white, the throat 
 streaked with longitudinal brown lines ; the breast and posterior 
 part of belly more or less spotted with oblong or roundish 
 brown blotches ; centre of belly white ; thighs reddish brown. 
 Primary quill feathers black, the inner vanes towards quills 
 white ; secondaries brown, with irregular transverse blackish 
 bands, the edges of the inner vanes white. Tail moderately 
 long, slightly rounded, of a greyish or rufous colour, with ten 
 or more narrow waved transverse blackish brown bands ; tip of 
 each feather dirty reddish white. Legs and toes greenish yel- 
 low ; claws black. Length eighteen inches. 
 
 Young. Above brown, verging towards blackish brown ; 
 below brown-red or dull rufous, the shafts of the feathers 
 black ; chin with a slight mottling of white. Tail feathers 
 greyish, on outer vanes, crossed by many waved or oblique nar- 
 row blackish bands ; on inner vanes reddish white, or reddish 
 brown, with similar black bands ; tips of all the feathers dirty 
 reddish yellow. Legs and toes greenish yellow ; claws black. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Falco tachardus, Baud. Le Tachard, Le Vaill. Ois. d' 
 Afriq. pi. 19. 
 
 [90] 
 
Birds. 287 
 
 Buteo desertorum. Bill and cere yellow ; eyes red ; head, 
 neck, back, and belly, ferruginous red ; the latter with dashes 
 of black; throat, breast, and under tail coverts greyish white. 
 Primary quill feathers black. Tail ferruginous red above ; 
 greyish white with indistinct transverse bands, beneath. Legs 
 and toes yellow ; claws black. Smaller than Buteo Jackal. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, rare. 
 
 Falco desertorum, Daud. Shaw, Lath. Le Eougri, Le Yaill. 
 Ois. d' Afriq. pi 17. 
 
 Genus BUTAETES. Lesson. 
 
 Bill slender, arched from the base ; nostrils oblique ; wings 
 nearly as long as the tail, fourth feather the longest; tarsi 
 feathered to the toes. 
 
 Butaetus buteo, Lesson. Over each eye a narrow black 
 stripe ; head, neck, breast, anterior part of belly, and legs, 
 white, with longitudinal brown stripes, largest on the sides of 
 breast and belly ; interscapulars, scapulars, and shoulders, 
 brown, margined with rufous or white ; back nearly an uniform 
 brown ; upper tail coverts white, dashed with brown ; centre of 
 belly and flanks dark brown, variegated with rufous or tawny 
 white ; hinder portion of belly and under tail coverts an uniform 
 dull white. Primary wing feathers brown, both vanes towards 
 quills white ; secondaries brown, inner vanes white towards 
 quills ; all the feathers obscurely tipt with dusky white. Tail 
 white towards base, grey-brown towards extremity, with an in- 
 distinct dark band immediately behind the tip, which is dull 
 white. Bill dark horn-colour ; the base of lower mandible, 
 cere, and toes, yellow ; claws black. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa and Europe. 
 
 Falco lagopus, G-mel. Buse Gantee, Le Yaill. Ois. d' Afriq. 
 pi. 18. 
 
 Butaetes Lessonii, Smith. Above brown, the shoulder 
 feathers margined with brown-white ; ears and space behind 
 base of lower mandible brown-black ; under parts white ; the 
 breast and anterior part of belly streaked with brown-black. 
 Primary wing feathers black-brown, the inner vanes towards 
 quills white, secondaries with blackish transverse bands on 
 inner vanes, and all tipt with white ; inside of shoulders white, 
 spotted with black. Tail nearly even, the feathers black- 
 brown, variegated with narrow waved irregular bars of a darker 
 tint, and all tipt with obscure white. Bill bluish black ; cere 
 and toes yellow. Length eighteen inches. 
 
 Young. Cere and toes greenish yellow ; head and back of 
 neck light brown, feathers margined with rufous ; interscapu- 
 
288 African Zoology. 
 
 lars and back dark brown ; throat, breast, and belly, tawny 
 white, more or less variegated with longitudinal brown streaks. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, near Heer-logement. 
 
 Morphnus dubius, Smith. South African Quarterly Journal, 
 vol. i. p. 117. 
 
 Genus CIECUS. Bechst. 
 
 Bill moderately compressed ; spaces between eyes and nostrils 
 covered with rigid hair ; nostrils oblong rounded ; a colter et of 
 rigid feathers in a half-circle between the chin and the ears, 
 formed by the auricular feathers. Tarsi long, slender, scu- 
 tellated before, reticulated behind; claws moderate. Tail 
 rounded and broad. 
 
 Circus gallinarius, Shaw. Male, Head, neck, back, wings, 
 and rump, bluish-grey ; wing feathers white at their bases, 
 elsewhere black ; insides of shoulders, rump, belly, flanks, 
 thighs, and tail beneath, white ; tail above ashy grey, tips of 
 feathers white ; eyes yellow. Length one foot seven inches. 
 
 Female. Upper parts dull brown; the feathers of head, 
 neck, and anterior part of back, bordered with rufous ; beneath 
 yellow-rufous, variegated with large longitudinal brown spots; 
 outer vanes of wing feathers rayed dark brown and black, in- 
 ner ones black and white ; rump white ; the two middle tail- 
 feathers rayed black and deep ash, the lateral ones rufous- 
 yellow and black. 
 
 Young, Similar to the female, and the male of the first and 
 second year. 
 
 Inhabits Egypt, Europe, and America. 
 
 L'Oiseau Saint-Martin, Buff. Falco Gallinarius, Lin. 
 Falco Pygargus, Gmel. 
 
 Circus melanoleucus. Head, neck, back, rump, shoulders* 
 and upper parts of breast, deep black ; under parts pure white- 
 Primary quill feathers black, secondaries and wing coverts 
 cinerious, variegated with black spots or imperfect bands. Tail 
 above, hoary grey, irregularly spotted with brown ; beneath 
 white. Bill black, with a yellowish spot on each mandible to- 
 wards base ; cere, tarsi, and toes, yellow ; claws black. 
 Length twenty-two inches. 
 
 Female. Grey- white dashed with black. 
 
 Young. Brown-black above ; white beneath, dashed with 
 longitudinal brown- black streaks. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa and India 
 
 Falco melanoleucus, Gmel. Lath. Faucon a collier des 
 Indes, Sonnerat, Itin, t. ii. p. 182. Le Tchong, Le Vaill. 
 Afriq. pi 32. 
 
 (To be continued.) 
 [92] 
 
305 
 
 [FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUARTERLY JOURNAL, 
 
 JULY to SEPTEMBER, 1834.] 
 
 AFRICAN ZOOLOGY: 
 
 By DR. SMITH. 
 
 Continued from page 288. 
 
 Circus Acoli. Male. Bill horn-coloured towards base, 
 bluish black towards tip ; cere red ; eyes orange-red : colour 
 of plumage above pale bluish grey ; beneath whitish, with the 
 breast, belly, and thighs, finely rayed transversely with black ; 
 body slender; legs long; tail nearly even, and of a dirty 
 brownish white tint ; shafts reddish brown ; legs and toes yel- 
 lowish ; claws black. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, Zwartland, Le Vaillant. 
 
 L' Acoli, Le Vaill. Afriq. pi 31. 
 
 Circus ranivorus. Bill black, with a shade of yellow on 
 lower mandible near base ; eyes and cere yellow ; front and 
 crown brown, varied with light rufous ; back of neck and inter- 
 scapulars dirty dark brown, the feathers edged with a pure or 
 reddish white ; back and rump brown, feathers with tawny tips ; 
 upper tail coverts ferruginous and brown, with whitish tips ; 
 shoulders mottled dark blackish brown, ferruginous and pure 
 white ; cervical collar blackish brown and white ; chin, throat, 
 and breast, dirty brown, the feathers edged and tipt with dirty 
 reddish white. Primary and secondary wing coverts blackish 
 brown, with grey transverse bands ; primary quill feathers with 
 the outer vanes marked by alternate transverse bands of deep 
 hoary grey and brownish black ; inner ones with a considerable 
 proportion of bluish grey, variegated by transverse partial 
 blackish bands, the inner edges of vanes towards quills, clear 
 white ; towards tips the feathers all nearly uniform brownish 
 black ; secondaries brown and deep bluish grey, in alternate 
 transverse bands ; inner edges of inner vanes white. Tail with 
 five blackish brown, transverse bands, and six bluish grey ones, 
 besides bluish grey tips. Legs and toes yellow ; claws black. 
 Length eighteen inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Falco ranivorus, Daud. Shaw. Zool Le Grenouillard, 
 Le Vaill. Afriq. pi 23. 
 
 Circus maurus, Temm. Bill black ; the base of lower man- 
 dible and the portion of the edge of upper adjoining it, yellow; 
 cere and eyes yellow ; head, neck, back, rump, shoulders, and 
 all the under parts, brownish black, verging on pure black ; 
 the bases of the feathers of the nape pure white. Outer vanes 
 of primary quill feathers hoary grey; inner vanes towards quills 
 white ; elsewhere brown or black ; secondaries with the outer 
 
 Q q [93] 
 
306 African Zoology, 
 
 vanes hoary, the inner ones nearly white, and both, towards tips, 
 crossed by a broad blackish band ; upper tail coverts white, 
 under ones black, some of them narrowly tipt with white. Tail 
 above black, with four transverse bands of dark bluish grey, 
 and the tips of all the feathers greyish white ; the vanes close 
 to quills pure silky white. Legs and toes yellow ; claws black. 
 Length from bill to base of tail ten inches ; length of latter nine 
 inches and a half. 
 
 Young. Front blackish brown ; crown and part of nape light 
 rufous, variegated with brownish black streaks or clouds ; back 
 of neck an uniform brownish black, feathers broadly tipt with 
 pale rufous or tawny white ; chin, throat, breast, and belly, tawny 
 rufous ; the two first with brownish streaks or spots, the third 
 clouded by brownish blotches, and the last slightly marked by 
 longitudinal brown streaks. Quill feathers with the grey less 
 clear, and the tips of the feathers tawny white. Tail blackish 
 brown, with three distinct white transverse bands, and the bases 
 and tips of all the feathers white. Legs and toes dirty yellow. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Circus Swainsonii, Smith. Front and eyebrows white ; upper 
 parts ashy grey ; the tail coverts faintly banded with brown ; 
 under parts and insides of shoulders pure white Primary and 
 secondary wing coverts grey, faintly tipt with white ; quill 
 feathers towards points brown black, outer vanes towards quills 
 grey, inner vanes white. Tail rounded, the centre feathers 
 brown- grey with four or five broad, dark brown bands ; lateral 
 feathers pale fulvous or tawny white, banded irregularly with 
 dark brown ; the tips of all the feathers white. Bill black 
 with a faint yellow mark on the edges of both upper and lower 
 mandible towards base; cere, legs, and toes yellow; claws 
 black. Length seventeen inches and a half. 
 
 Young. Front and eyebrows whitish ; top of head and back 
 of neck pale rufous, variegated with longitudinal dark brown 
 stripes ; back and shoulders dull brown, the feathers margined 
 with rufous ; upper tail coverts white ; chin whitish ; under 
 parts pale fulvous, darkest on the throat and breast ; many of 
 the feathers with a dark rufous brown stripe in the course of 
 the shaft. Outer tail feathers banded pale fulvous and dark 
 brown. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Circus superciliaris, Smith. South African Quarterly Journal, 
 vol. i.p. 385. (the young.) 
 
 Circus Le Vaillantii, Smith. Bill black; base of lower 
 mandible yellow. Front, chin, nape, cervix, and part of breast, 
 white or rufous white ; the feathers of the neck and nape each 
 
 [94] 
 
Birds. 307 
 
 with a spot of brown at tip ; inter scapulars and back dirty 
 brown ; upper tail coverts brown, with their tips pale tawny ; 
 throat, sides of neck, and anterior part of breast, blackish 
 brown ; flanks, belly, thighs, and vent, reddish brown, inclined 
 to dirty ferruginous ; shoulders variegated brown and pale 
 tawny ; inside of wings dark tawny, spotted with brown. Pri- 
 mary and secondary wing coverts brown, with tawny tips ; 
 primary quill feathers dark brown, the inner vanes towards 
 quills light tawny, variegated by longitudinal waved dusky 
 lines ; secondaries similarly coloured. Tail nearly even, dark 
 brown, with the three outermost feathers of each side distinctly 
 marked by transverse interrupted tawny bands ; centre ones 
 with indistinct light coloured bands on inner vanes ; tips of all 
 the feathers tawny. Legs and toes greenish yellow; claws 
 black. Length about eighteen inches. 
 
 Young. Plumage an uniform dark brown, very slightly 
 variegated by some streaks of bright tawny about the chin, 
 front, and anterior edges of shoulders. The brown of the up- 
 per parts is dark and clear ; that of the lower reddish brown or 
 ferruginous. Tail feathers nearly uniform brown, with tawny 
 tips, and some similarly coloured spots towards quills. Bill 
 blackish blue, the lower mandible yellow at base. Legs and 
 toes dirty yellow. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 SUB-FAM. FALCONINA. 
 
 Bill curved from the base, with one or more strong teeth up- 
 on the edge of the upper mandible ; wings as long or longer 
 than the tail, first feather long, second longest. 
 
 Genus FALCO. Bechst. 
 
 Bill strong, conical, curved from the base with a strong tooth 
 on edge of upper mandible, the lower notched near point ; nostrils 
 round, situated near anterior edge of cere ; tarsi short, more or 
 less robust, their upper third feathered, the rest reticulated. 
 Tail moderately long, slightly graduated, broad, and rounded ; 
 hinder toe strong ; claws falciform ; cere nearly naked. 
 
 Falco peregrinus, Lin. Head and upper part of neck bluish 
 black, rest of upper parts ashy blue, the feathers crossed by 
 irregular blackish bands ; quill feathers blackish, with a hoary- 
 tint on the outer vanes, inner vanes with transverse tawny or 
 white stripes ; edges of shoulders white ; tail ashy with nu- 
 merous transverse black bands, broadest towards the tips which 
 are dull white. Beneath each eye a broad black streak ; 
 
 [96] 
 
308 African Zoology. 
 
 throat and breast white, the latter with a few longitudinal black 
 striae; belly dull greyish white with many small irregular- 
 shaped black spots. Eyes brown ; bill bluish ; base of lower 
 mandible, space round eyes, and the legs, yellow. Length 
 thirteen inches. 
 
 Young. Head bluish brown ; feathers finely edged and tipt 
 with rufous ; nape and back of neck variegated blackish brown 
 and tawny white ; back blackish feathers with rufous tips ; chin 
 and throat pure white ; breast and belly tawny, variegated with 
 oblong blackish spots, largest on the flanks ; tail brownish black 
 with seven or eight transverse rufous bands, tips white ; legs 
 and toes greenish yellow ; claws black. 
 
 Inhabits Africa and Europe, not uncommon in South Africa. 
 
 Le Faucon, Buff. pi. enl. pi. 421. The Blue-back Falcon, 
 Penn. Brit. Zool. Falco Peregrinoides, Smith, South African 
 Quarterly Journal, vol. i. p. 235. Spervel of the Cape Colonists. 
 
 Falco biarmicus, Temm. Front and anterior part of crown 
 black, rest of crown and nape rufous ; back of neck, intersca- 
 pulars, back, upper tail coverts, and shoulders, bluish grey, 
 with dark slate coloured transverse bands ; from the eye to the 
 nape a black stripe, and another behind the angle of the mouth ; 
 sides of neck, and all the under parts, pale tawny- white. Bill 
 bluish, the base of the lower mandible yellow ; eyes dark brown. 
 Primaryand secondary wing coverts hoary blue,with dusky grey- 
 white transverse bands ; primary and secondary wing feathers 
 brownish ; the inner vanes, for the greater part of their length, 
 partially crossed by somewhat conical white spots. Tail hoary 
 white, with ten or eleven moderately broad, black bands ; the 
 intermediate spaces thinly sprinkled with minute brownish black 
 dots or lines ; tips of all the feathers white ; cere, legs and toes, 
 yellow ; claws black. Length of male fifteen inches, of female 
 seventeen inches. 
 
 Young. Head rufous, the front and nape variegated with 
 black ; back of neck and inter scapulars blackish, with the 
 feathers finely tipt with rufous ; the black stripes on sides of 
 head less strongly marked than in full-grown specimens. Sides 
 of the neck rufous ; chin and throat tawny-white ; breast and 
 anterior part of belly pale rufous, with a roundish black blotch 
 towards the middle of each feather ; hinder part of belly, under 
 tail coverts, and thighs, pale rufous, without variegations. 
 Primary and secondary wing feathers blackish, with the inner 
 vanes marked by transverse oviform pale tawny spots, all tipt 
 with light rufous. Tail blackish, with seven or'eight irregular 
 transverse rufous bands : all the feathers broadly tipt with;ru- 
 fous. Bill bluish green, with shades of black, and the lower 
 mandible with a very faint tinge of greenish yellow at base ; cere 
 
Birds. 309 
 
 dusky greenish yellow; eyes dark brown; legs and toes yellowish 
 white ; claws a dark horn-colour. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Falco chiqueroides, Smith. 8. A. Quarterly Journal, vol. i. 
 p. 233. 
 
 Falco concolor, Temm. Male, Bill black ; cere and legs 
 yellow ; plumage ashy grey ; tail finely banded with a paler 
 tint, and each feather slightly rayed longitudinally with a deeper 
 colour than that of the body. 
 
 Female, a dusky lead colour. 
 
 Inhabits Senegal, Barbary, Egypt, and Arabia. 
 
 Falco rupicolus, Daudin. Bill bluish black towards tip, 
 bluish white at base ; cere yellow ; eyes brown ; head, together 
 with the back and sides of neck, dull blue-grey, each feather 
 marked along the centre by a fine longitudinal black streak ; 
 interscapulars, back, shoulders, and scapulars, deep rufous, 
 with irregular or somewhat triangular black spots ; chin tawny ; 
 breast rufous, variegated with longitudinal black lines ; belly 
 rufous, with black spots ; vent and thighs tawny, without 
 variegations. Primary and secondary wing coverts black, with 
 irregular tawny- white transverse bands ; primary wing feathers 
 black, the inner vanes nearly completely crossed by numerous 
 white indentations ; secondaries blackish, both vanes crossed by 
 irregular rufous bands. Tail dark bluish grey, with seven or 
 eight black bands, the last nearly an inch in width ; on the 
 three outermost feathers of each side the black only appears 
 upon the inner vanes ; all the feathers broadly tipt with white. 
 Legs and toes yellow ; claws black. Length of male twelve 
 inches, of female fourteen inches. 
 
 Young. Head and neck rufous tawny, with indistinct longi- 
 tudinal black streaks ; back and shoulders light rufous, with 
 large irregular or triangular black spots ; chin nearly white ; 
 throat light tawny rufous, with irregular streaks like those on 
 the head ; belly of the same ground colour as breast, and 
 streaked or spotted before, behind like the vent and thighs, 
 without variegations. Wing feathers all distinctly tipt with 
 white. Tarsi, toes, and cere, dull yellow. 
 
 Falco rupicoloides, Smith. Head, neck, back, shoulders, and 
 scapulars, pale tawny, clouded with pale rufous ; the head and 
 neck variegated with longitudinal black stripes ; the back, 
 shoulders, and scapulars, with broad brown transverse bars ; 
 rump brown with blue-white bars. Throat and under parts a 
 pale fawn-colour, the breast and belly with a few brown stripes ; 
 flanks rayed with brown. Quill feathers brown, inner vanes 
 banded with pale rufous. Tail brown, with about six bluish 
 
 [97] 
 
310 African Zoology. 
 
 white transverse bands, tips of the feathers pure white. Bill 
 bluish black, base of lower mandible yellow ; cere, tarsi, and 
 toes, yellow ; claws black ; eyes sandy-grey. Length sixteen 
 inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Falco punctatus, Cuvier. Above deep rufous ; head and neck 
 variegated with longitudinal black stripes ; back and shoulders 
 with broad transverse black blotches : below white, breast with 
 longitudinal brown blotches,bellyandventwith roundish ,brown- 
 black, spots. Primary quill feathers black, inner vanes par- 
 tially crossed by white or rufous bars; secondaries rufous, 
 barred with black. Tail dark rufous with about six transverse 
 black bands, the tips of feathers rufous white. Bill blackish 
 blue, base of lower mandible yellow. Legs and toes greenish 
 yellow. Length of male eleven inches, of female twelve inches. 
 
 Inhabits Isle of France and Madagascar. 
 
 06s. In the specimens from Madagascar the black spots on the back 
 are generally smaller, the under parts are principally rufous, and the 
 tail blue-grey with black transverse bars. 
 
 Falco subbuteo, Lath. Head and upper part of neck dark 
 blue-grey, rest of upper parts light blue-grey; the shafts of all 
 the feathers black ; over each eye a narrow rufous-white stripe, 
 and below each, a black crescent, the one extremity extending 
 under the eye, the other on a line with the base of lower mandi- 
 ble ; sides of neck, throat, breast, and belly, tawny-white ; the 
 two last freely variegated with longitudinal black blotches ; 
 vent, under tail coverts, and thighs, rufous. Outer vanes of 
 wing feathers hoary -blue, inner dull brown, crossed with white 
 bars towards quills, all very finely margined and tipt with dull 
 white. Tail slightly rounded, the two centre feathers blue- 
 grey, the rest blue-grey banded on the inner vanes with pale 
 rufous and tipt with tawny- white. Bill bluish, base of lower 
 mandible yellow ; cere, legs, and toes, yellow ; claws black. 
 Length thirteen inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa and Europe. 
 
 Le Hobereau, Buff. Hobby Falcon, Lath. Falco Cuvierii, 
 Smith, South African Quarterly Journal, vol. i. p. 392. 
 
 Falco Lythofalco, Lin. Upper parts of body and tail ashy- 
 blue, the centres of feathers with a longitudinal brown stripe ; 
 five irregular black transverse bands formed by isolated spots 
 upon the tail, the one towards the point very broad ; tips of the 
 feathers inclined to white. Throat white, rest of under parts 
 yellow-rufous with longitudinal brown spots ; bill blue; cere, 
 space round eyes, and feet, yellow. Quill feathers rayed on 
 inner vanes with white ; sometimes a rufous or yellow rufous 
 
 [98] 
 
Birds. 311 
 
 collar towards lower part of neck above. Length of male 
 eleven inches. 
 
 Young. Upper parts dark brown, feathers bordered with 
 rufous ; tail blackish, with five narrow brown-red bands ; tho 
 bands of primary quill feathers rufous white. 
 
 Inhabits Egypt, Porto Rico, and Europe. 
 
 Falco sesalon. Linn. Le Rochier, Buff. Ois. 
 
 FAM. STRIGID^B. Vigors. OWLS. 
 
 Bill straight at base, curved towards the point ; cere mem- 
 branous covered with stiff hair or setaceous feathers ; sides of 
 upper mandible a little dilated towards edges, the lower mandi- 
 ble shorter than the upper, truncated and notched at point ; 
 nostrils rounded, oblique, entirely open or covered by the seta- 
 ceous feathers of the cere ; tarsi mostly feathered, when not 
 feathered, reticulated ; the anterior toes nearly equal, the ex- 
 ternal versatile, moderately robust ; claws strong and retractile. 
 Tail generally moderate, even, rarely elongated and graduated. 
 
 Genus SURNIA. Dumeril. 
 
 Head rounded without enlarged conch or egrets ; tarsi and toes 
 feathered to the claws ; tail long, graduated. 
 
 Surnia choucou. Base of bill surrounded by fine feathers 
 resembling hairs ; upper part of head, back of neck, intersca- 
 pulars, and wing coverts, reddish grey-brown ; the latter va- 
 riegated with white spots ; wing feathers tipt with white. Tail 
 composed of twelve feathers, the two centre ones grey-brown 
 like the wings, the rest grey-brown, the outer vanes banded 
 with pure white, the inner vanes pure white without bands. 
 Throat and under parts pure white ; the feathers of the legs 
 very long ; insides of shoulders white. Bill small, and like the 
 claws black ; eyes bright orange. Length eight inches and a 
 half ; figure slender. Wings when folded reach to the middle 
 of the tail. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, towards the Knysna. 
 
 Strix choucou, Lath. Le Choucou, Le Vaill. Ois. d'Afriq. 
 pi. 38. 
 
 Surnia nisuella. Plumage above brown, of different tints, 
 passing insensibly from the deepest to the lightest shades, or 
 even in some to white ; throat with a sort of collaret or white 
 blotch. Breast, and under parts of body, of the same colour 
 as the back, but disposed in somewhat regular transverse bars, 
 lightest towards the legs ; the latter covered with fine silky 
 grey-white feathers. Tail beneath banded brown-black and 
 ' [99] 
 
312 African Zoology. 
 
 reddish white, above the white is more pure and the brown 
 lighter. Bill and: claws brown black ; eyes deep topaz yellow ; 
 wings when folded extend over two-thirds of the tail. Length 
 about twelve inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, Great Namaqualand. 
 
 Strix nisuella, Lath. Le Chou-cou-hou, Le Vaill. Afriq. 
 pi 39. 
 
 Obs. In the figure given by Le Vaillant, the facial disc is margined by 
 two rows of brown spots. 
 
 Genus NOCTUA. Savigny. 
 
 Head without egrets, ear opening oval, moderate. Facial 
 disc little develloped, almost incomplete ; toes feathered or 
 covered with rigid hairs ; tail short, equal. 
 
 Noctua hirsuta. Forehead and lores whitish with a few 
 black hairs at the base of the beak ; top of head and nape ashy 
 brown ; back wing coverts and quills an uniform brown ; sca- 
 pulars and inner secondaries spotted on inner webs with white ; 
 throat reddish ; breast and belly whitish, varied with large 
 reddish brown spots ; tail feathers banded with four bars of 
 brown and four of ash-colour, their tips white ; toes marbled 
 with red and brown, their edges with rough excrescences of a 
 yellowish colour, and a regular series of strong bristles ; bill 
 black ; the tail white. 
 
 Inhabits Madagascar, India, and Ceylon. 
 
 Strix hirsuta, Temm. pi. col. 289. 
 
 Noctua occipitalis. Forehead and upper part of head reddish, 
 dotted with white ; upper part of body brown and yellow, with 
 white spots encircled with black ; male with a whitish band on 
 the occiput ; female, a reddish one ; on each side of this a band 
 composed of a tuft of feathers spotted with black and white ; 
 all the lower parts of body dashed with clear red ; quills re- 
 gularly banded, alternately, brown and reddish. Tail feathers 
 brown or yellow, with five white spots on both webs, those on 
 the outer ones smallest ; legs and toes covered with a very short 
 down ; beak yellowish, with some white hairs on its sides as well 
 as near the eyes. Length seven inches. 
 
 Inhabits Africa. 
 
 Strix occipitalis, Temm. pi. col. 34. 
 
 Noctua Woodfordii, Smith. Above brown, freely sprinkled 
 with somewhat triangular, clear white spots, and the back, 
 scapulars, and shoulders, marked besides with narrow trans- 
 verse, obscure white, or dull tawny zig-zag lines ; the outer- 
 
 [100] 
 
Birds. 313 
 
 most scapulars principally white, forming an irregular oblique 
 band of that colour on each side ; shoulders also with some 
 large white spots. Primary quill feathers dull brown, the outer 
 vanes barred with white, the inner ones with tawny ; secon- 
 daries light brown. Facial disc white sprinkled with brown, 
 but immediately around the eye pure black ; eyebrows white, 
 feathers crossed by narrow black bars ; guttural collar white, 
 crossed with black lines ; sides of neck and breast tawny brown 
 marked with brown and white transverse bars ; belly irregularly 
 banded black and white, and more or less clouded with pale 
 rufous j legs rufous white with waved transverse brown lines. 
 Tail brown with narrow bands of tawny white, which are 
 generally edged by a darker brown ; tips of feathers dull white. 
 Bill and eyes yellow, the feathers about base of bill setaceous, 
 white towards bases, black toward extremities ; toes above 
 covered with setaceous feathers, on the sides bare, reticulated 
 and yellow ; claws a dark horn-colour. Length about twelve 
 inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, rare. 
 
 Large-eyed Owl, Latham. ? History of Birds, vol. i. p. 360 
 
 Noctua Capensis, Smith. The upper parts of the head, and 
 the back and sides of the neck, brown, each feather towards 
 tip crossed by a narrow white bar ; interscapulars, back, rump 
 and shoulders, black-brown, the feathers with two or more 
 waved, narrow, rufous, transverse stripes, several of the outer- 
 most scapulars principally white, giving rise to a stripe of that 
 colour on each side of the back ; on shoulders also some large 
 white blotches ; edges of shoulders white. Quill feathers brown, 
 crossed with narrow rufous or white bands. Throat brown 
 mixed with white ; breast brown, barred irregularly with white 
 and tawny; belly pure white variegated with ferruginous-brown 
 blotches ; thighs tawny, mottled with black-brown. Tail dark 
 black-brown, crossed by twelve very narrow rufous bars, and 
 tipt with rufous. Bill greenish yellow ; claws yellow at bases, 
 blackish towards points. Length nine inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, rare. 
 
 Noctua perlata, Vieill. Upper parts of head and neck rufous- 
 brown or simple brown, spotted freely with white ; in front of 
 interscapulars a more or less distinct light rufous collar ; the 
 rest of upper parts brown, sparingly spotted with white, each 
 spot encircled by black-brown ; several of the outermost scapu- 
 lars half -white, forming a continuous line of that colour on each 
 side of back ; shoulders with a few white blotches intermingled 
 with the white spots. Wings brown, imperfectly barred with 
 white or pale rufous. Under parts either rufous variegated 
 
 R r [101] 
 
314 African Zoology. 
 
 with white, or an irregular mixture of brown rufous and white, 
 the vent and under tail coverts, in some, nearly pure white. 
 Tail dark brown, crossed by five or six rows of white spots, the 
 last row at the tips of the feathers. Bill yellowish ; claws a 
 dark horn-colour. Length seven inches. 
 
 Inhabits Southern Africa and Senegal. 
 
 Le Perlee Levaill, pi. 284. Strix peiiata, Vieillet. 
 
 Genus SCOPS. Savigny. 
 
 Head with lateral egrets ; facial disc incomplete or indistinctly 
 formed ; tarsi feathered to the toes ; tail short. 
 
 Scops Europeus. Above brown, finely variegated with white, 
 grey-white, and tawny white bars or spots, and with black 
 longitudinal stripes ; sides of head from bill to egret white, the 
 feathers crossed with delicate black lines ; egrets brown, finely 
 marked with black and white variegations ; rostral feathers 
 long and rigid, white towards bases, the points black ; cervical 
 collar brown-black and white, most distinct on sides of neck ; 
 outermost scapulars with large tawny- white spots. Wing 
 feathers blackish brown, outer vanes barred with white, inner 
 vanes towards margins marked with a series of rufous spots. 
 Under parts grey -white clouded with tawny, variegated with 
 fine black undulated bars and longitudinal black blotches and 
 stripes. Tail tawny-white, finely and closely barred with brown 
 or black, some of the bars of the latter colour being longer 
 than others give the appearance of narrow irregular black 
 bands ; tips of feathers tawny. Legs pale tawny more or less 
 pointed with brown. Eyes, toes and base of bill yellow ; tip of 
 bill and claws black. Length seven inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, Senegal, and Europe. 
 
 Strix Scops, Linn. Le Scops or Petit-Due, Buff. Scops- 
 eared Owl, Lath. Om. 
 
 Obs. Most Ornithologists regard the Owl above described as identical 
 with the little- eared Owl of Europe, yet I am much disposed to consider 
 it as distinct. Its colours are much darker and differently disposed, 
 and in themselves, even different on the inner vanes of wing feathers : 
 I am the more inclined to this opinion, as I have now before me a speci- 
 men from Senegal, which exactly corresponds with the European Scops. 
 The colours of the South African bird being constantly different, it 
 may perhaps be designated as the Scops Capensis, and that of Senegal 
 as the Scops Europeus. 
 
 Genus OTUS. Cuvier. 
 
 Ear opening very large, extending from the bill to nearly the 
 top of the head, with a membraneous operculum in front ; head 
 with egrets erectile at the pleasure of the bird ; bill long, com- 
 pressed, and curved from the base ; tarsi feathered to the toes. 
 
 [1021 
 
Birds. 315 
 
 Otus ascalaphus. Egrets or horns rudimentary and slender ; 
 setaceous feathers of the cheeks directed upwards and very 
 short above the eyes, and assist in giving a flattened appear- 
 ance to the forehead and top of the head ; beak black ; body, 
 wings, and tail, whitish red varied with different shades ; the 
 whole body spotted and striped with brown-black, the spots 
 lanceolate on the head and nape, confluent on the ears ; the 
 quills and tail feathers with broad bands and narrow zigzag 
 brown stripes ; breast dashed with the same ; the rest of the 
 under part with fine transverse stripes. Under surface of tail 
 white, with five or six narrow dusky transverse bands ; throat 
 and middle of breast white ; tarsi long, and as well as the toes 
 covered with whitish feathers. Length about eighteen inches. 
 
 Inhabits Egypt. 
 
 Strix Ascalaphus, Savig. Egypt. Temm. pi. col. 57. 
 
 Otus leucotis. Egrets placed above the eyes, long and point- 
 ed, which, with the feathers of the head and nape, are dull 
 white varied with reddish zigzag lines, and a longitudinal black 
 stripe in the direction of the shafts, the tip of each feather is 
 black ; face and cheeks white with a rufous tinge under the 
 eyes and a broad black band behind, extending to the egrets ; 
 edges of wings and large coverts white, upper and under parts 
 of body light rufous, variegated with black and vermiculated 
 with brown ; quills and tail feathers ashy, delicately marked 
 with brownish zigzag lines and broad transverse stripes ; vent 
 white, with brown stripes. Bill awhitish horn-colour, andnearly 
 covered by pure white bristles. Length six inches. 
 
 Inhabits Senegal. 
 
 Strix leucotis, Temm. pi. col. 16. 
 
 Otus maculosus. Above brown or black-brown; the upper 
 parts of head, neck, and interscapulars, irregularly spotted with 
 white or tawny- white ; the back, scapulars, and shoulders, 
 mottled with white or tawny- white undulated bars or blotches. 
 Face grey, the feathers crossed by black bars ; egrets brown, 
 spotted with white ; chin white ; cervical collar dark brown, 
 mottled with white in front of neck ; in front of breast a large 
 white crescent. Breast and flanks white, barred with brown and 
 blotched with black ; belly and legs tawny or pure white, more 
 regularly barred with narrow brown lines. Tail slightly 
 rounded, two centre feathers brown with four or five irregular 
 tawny- white bars ; lateral feathers brown with the transverse 
 tawny bars more distinct. Eyes fine yellow ; bill and claws 
 black. Length eighteen inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, common. 
 
 Strix maculosus, Vieill. Gal pi 23. Strix Africanus, Tern. 
 pi 56. 
 
 [103] 
 
316 African Zoology. 
 
 Otus Capensis, Smith. Above brown, finely freckled or 
 marked with pale tawny, undulated lines and the shoulders 
 variegated with some large tawny blotches ; face tawny-white, 
 mixed with black near the eyes ; egrets small, brown variegated 
 with tawny ; cervical collar dark brown, spotted with fulvous in 
 front of neck. Anterior part of breast nearly an uniform brown, 
 rest of breast and belly finely mottled brown and white, the 
 colours principally disposed in zig-zag transverse lines and bars, 
 and in some specimens the shafts are deep brown ; vent and tail 
 coverts tawny-white. Primary wing feathers pale fulvous, 
 irregularly barred with brown, and the points entirely brown ; 
 secondaries brown with partial fulvous bands, the tips tawny 
 white, more or less mottled with brown. Tail slightly rounded, 
 the two centre feathers brown, with four tawny bars, the distal 
 one broken and indistinct, the outer feathers tawny white with 
 three brown bars, the extremities of all the feathers nearly 
 pure white. Legs tawny white ; bill and claws black. Length 
 fourteen inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa, in marshy situations. 
 
 Marsh Owl of the Cape Colonists. 
 
 Otus Madagascariensis, Smith. Above blackish brown, each 
 feather with a tawny blotch on each vane, producing a mottled 
 appearance ; scapulars blotched, banded or undulated with 
 tawny. Wing feathers dull brown, with tawny bars, many of 
 them brownish towards their centres. Egrets black-brown, 
 some of the feathers blotched on both vanes with tawny, others 
 only on outer vanes ; cheeks tawny -brown ; shafts and points of 
 feathers black; rostral feathers black and white. Throat 
 crossed by an obscure white crescent, and below that an in- 
 distinct collaret which extends on each side of the neck nearly 
 to the egrets, and is mottled black-brown and tawny-white. 
 Under parts tawny with longitudinal brown blotches, largest on 
 the breast. Legs tawny rufous with a few brown variegations. 
 Tail dark brown, with four or five light brown bands margined 
 with tawny. Bill bluish black ; claws black. Length fifteen 
 inches. 
 
 Inhabits Madagascar. 
 
 06s. This species stands close to Otus brachyotos, but differs from it 
 particularly in the want of white spots on the upper parts, and in the 
 distribution of the colours of the collaret and hinder parts of the belly. 
 
 Grenus STRIX. Savigny. 
 
 Bill straight at base, curved towards tip ; ear opening ample 
 with a large operculum; the circle of setaceous feathers of face 
 much developed ; no egrets ; tarsi feathered ; toes covered with 
 hairs. 
 
 [104] 
 
Birds. 317 
 
 Strix Capensis, Smith. Upper parts brown, clouded with 
 black-brown, and thinly spotted with white dots ; under parts 
 yellowish white freely mottled with small brown spots. Facial 
 disc clear white with a large black blotch at the inner angle of 
 each eye ; cervical collar dull white, the feathers tipt with 
 tawny-brown, and streaked along their centres with dark brown. 
 Wings about two inches longer than the tail ; primary wing 
 feathers brown, irregularly mottled with fulvous towards quills ; 
 secondaries tawny without, white within, and imperfectly barred 
 with brown, the tips chiefly brown, edges of shoulders tawny- 
 white, insides white, mottled with black spots. Tail short, 
 two centre feathers brown with some white spots at tips, outer- 
 most feathers white imperfectly banded with brown, interme- 
 diate ones tawny -brown on outer vanes, white on inner, and both 
 partially barred with brown. Tarsi an uniform yellowish white ; 
 bill yellowish white ; eyes brown-black ; toes yellow with a thin 
 sprinkling of rigid yellowish hairs ; claws horn-yellow. Length 
 seventeen inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Genus BUBO. Cuvier. 
 
 Ear opening small', facial disc indistinct', head with two 
 egrets ; tarsi feathered to the toes. 
 
 Bubo lactea. Bill large, blackish blue towards tarsi, yel- 
 lowish towards point, and furnished on each side with long, 
 narrow, bristly, black feathers ; cheeks white, broadly mar- 
 gined behind with deep black ; egrets black towards points, 
 waved black and white towards bases ; crown waved black and 
 white ; rest of upper parts dull brown, finely and irregularly 
 waved with dull white lines ; chin white, undulated with brown ; 
 throat pure white ; breast and belly dull white, waved with de- 
 licate irregularly disposed zigzag lines. Primary wing feathers 
 white towards quills, brown towards tips, and banded with 
 blackish transverse bands ; secondaries banded alternately 
 brown and dull white, the latter with fine brown undulations. 
 Tail rounded, banded alternately brown and white, the white 
 bands about four in number, are mottled with brown; on 
 the outer vanes of all the feathers ; legs dull white with waved 
 transverse brown lines ; claws black. Length of male about 
 twenty inches, of female about two feet. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa and Senegal. 
 
 Strix lactea Temm. pi. col. 4. 
 
 Bubo Capensis, Smith. Young. Upper parts of head black- 
 ish brown, the feathers blotched and tipt with tawny ; egret 
 blackish, variegated on inner edges with clear tawny ; back and 
 
 [105] 
 
318 African Zoology. 
 
 sides of neck dark brown, mottled with fulvous, the latter in 
 large spots upon both vanes ; back and shoulders blackish 
 brown dashed with fulvous or tawny-white. Wing feathers 
 black-brown with tawny bands, the latter often brown in the 
 middle, particularly on the secondaries. Facial disc principally 
 pale tawny-brown, at inner angles of eyes white ; the rostral 
 feathers tipt with black ; cervical collar blackish, mottled with 
 white at the throat, towards extremities brown ; chin, and a 
 large crescent in front of breast, white ; breast and belly black- 
 ish brown, variegated freely with large transverse tawny 
 blotches, which, towards the thighs, exhibit a whitish tint ; legs 
 rufous-white with -small brown blotches; toes rufous- white, 
 without variegations. Tail slightly rounded, the outermost 
 feathers of each side banded black-brown and tawny- white, the 
 bands of the latter colour brown in the middle, the centre 
 feathers blackish brown with tawny bands, dusky in the middle ; 
 tips of all the feathers tawny- white, finely mottled with brown. 
 Bill black ; eyes yellow ; claws light horn-coloured, darkest 
 towards points. Length twenty-two inches. 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Obc. This bird I am convinced is distinct from the Bubo Europens. 
 Adult specimens are said to be marked nearly as the young ones. 
 
 ORDER INSESSORES. Vigors. 
 
 Bill various ; legs short or moderate ; tarsi usually clothed 
 with feathers ; toes flat beneath ; claws slender, moveable, 
 somewhat retractile, curved and acute. 
 
 TRIBE FISSIROSTRES. 
 Bill broad at the base, gape very wide ; legs short. 
 
 FAM. MEROPID^E. 
 
 Genus MEROPS. 
 
 Bill longer than the head, curved, rounded, slightly compressed 
 on the sides, and pointed; nostrils lateral, rounded or in the 
 form of a longitudinal fissure. Wings long and pointed, first 
 or third quill the longest. Tail long, even, graduated or forked, 
 often the two middle feathers longer than the others and termi- 
 nating in narrow points. Tarsi short, slender, and scutellated. 
 
 [106] 
 
Birds. 319 
 
 * With the middle tail feathers elongated. 
 
 Merops Apiaster, Lin. Throat yellow, margined behind 
 with black ; front greenish white ; occiput, back of neck, and 
 interscapulars, maronne ; back, rufous-yellow; middle of wings 
 dark rufous ; quill feathers and tail, olive-green ; ocular band 
 black ; breast and belly, bluish green. Bill black ; eyes red ; 
 feet brown. The two middle tail feathers an inch longer than 
 the others. Length from bill to point of tail eleven inches. 
 
 Young. Above brown-green ; eyebrows rufous ; no black 
 collar ; tail feathers all of equal length. 
 
 Inhabits Africa and Europe, during the summer in South 
 Africa. 
 
 Merops Malimbicus, Shaw. Head and neck slate- grey ; chin 
 white, passing in the form of a streak on each side of the 
 throat ; upper parts of body, wings, and tail, vinaceous ash- 
 colour ; quill feathers blackish brown ; eye band blackish 
 brown. Lower part of throat, breast, belly, and thighs, a fine 
 deep or sanguine rose-colour, palest towards the vent. The 
 two middle tail feathers about an inch and a half longer than 
 the others, and terminate in narrow points. Bill and legs 
 black ; eyes red. Length about ten inches. 
 
 Inhabits Malimba. 
 
 Merops bicolor, Daud. 
 
 Merops Nubicus, Lin. Head and throat sea-green, the latter 
 margined below with black; eye band black; neck, back, 
 breast, and belly, bright red ; wings and tail a dull red ; quill 
 feathers black at the tips, clouded with green ; scapulars green- 
 brown ; tail feathers pointed with obscure green, the two centre 
 ones much longer than the others, narrow towards the points, 
 and of a blue-black colour ; rump, vent, and under tail coverts, 
 light blue. Bill black. Length from bill to point of middle 
 tail feathers eleven inches and a half. 
 
 Inhabits Africa, rare in South Africa. 
 
 Merops cseruleocephalus, Shaw. 
 
 Merops jEgyptius, Savig. Front yellowish white ; forehead 
 and eyebrows light green; top of head, neck, back, shoulders, 
 breast, belly, and vent, dark green; eye band black, edged be- 
 low by light green ; anterior part of throat yellow, hinder part 
 maronne ; outer vanes of wing feathers olive-green, inner vanes 
 dark dusky green, all tipt with black ; tail feathers olive-green, 
 the two centre ones about two inches longer than the others, 
 narrow towards points, and green-black. Bill black ; legs and 
 toes brown. Length ten inches and a half. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 [107] 
 
320 African Zoology. 
 
 Far. Front, eyebrows, and line from base of lower mandible, 
 white or green-white ; upper parts, particularly head and neck, 
 dull brown- green ; breast light olive- green ; belly light green, 
 palest towards vent. 
 
 Inhabits Madagascar. 
 
 Merops Savignii, Le Vaill. pi. 6. Merops superciliosus, Lin. ? 
 
 Obs. A variety of this species occurs in India and Java, with the rump, 
 vent, tail, eyebrows, aud stripe under eyeband, light blue, the upper 
 parts olive-green ; the belly light green. 
 
 Merops Cuvierii, Le Vaill. Front, eyebrows, and throat, 
 white ; top of head, eye-band, and middle of throat, black ; 
 neck, above rufous-green ; interscapulars and shoulders green ; 
 scapulars blue-green; outer vanes of quill feathers olive-brown, 
 inner vanes rufous green, all tipt with black. Back, rump, 
 tail, and a transverse bar below, black ; of throat, blue-green ; 
 breast and belly greenish white ; vent light blue ; two centre 
 tail feathers longest, and narrow towards points,where they are 
 of a black colour. Bill black. Length to tip of tail eleven 
 inches. 
 
 Inhabits Senegal. 
 
 Merops Savignii, Swain. Zool. III. pi. 76. Le Vaill. pi. 9. 
 
 ** With the tail even. 
 
 Merops Bullockii. The upper parts of the head, back, 
 shoulders, rump, and tail coverts, green ; back and sides of neck 
 rufous-green ; wing feathers green ; the primaries faintly and 
 the secondaries distinctly tipt with black. Eye-band black ; 
 throat red ; breast and belly rufous-green ; vent and under tail 
 coverts dark blue. Tail even, two centre feathers green. Bill 
 and legs black. Length seven inches. 
 
 Inhabits Senegal. 
 
 Merops Bullockoides, Smith. Front greenish white; eyebrows 
 green; top of head and back of neck, pale chesnut, clouded with 
 green ; back, shoulders, wings, and tail, dark green ; the secon- 
 dary quill feathers broadly tipt with black ; eye band black, 
 edged below with white ; throat red ; breast and belly rusty 
 olive-green ; rump, vent, and under tail coverts, deep blue. Bill 
 and legs black ; tail even. Length eight inches. 
 
 Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 Obs. This may be only a variety of the former, or the opposite sex. 
 
 (To be continued.) 
 [108] 
 
R EPO RT 
 
 OP 
 
 THE EXPEDITION FOR EXPLORING 
 
 CENTRAL AFRICA, 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, 
 June 23, 1834, 
 
 UNDER THE SUPEEINT ENDE NCE OF 
 
 Dr. A. SMITH. 
 
 PUBLISHED FOR THE SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. 
 
 FEINTED AT THE GOVEENMENT GAZETTE OFFICE, 
 GRAVE - STREET, CAPE TOWN. 
 
 1836. 
 
44 
 
 [FROM THE REPORT OF THE EXPEDITION FOR EXPLORING 
 CENTRAL AFRICA, 1836,] 
 
 BIRDS. 
 
 Genus FALCO. Bechst. 
 
 Fako simitorquata. Above ashy blue ; rump, and a narrow half 
 collar in front of interscapulars, white ; beneath silky white, 
 quills and tail brown, with transverse bands of white spots ; 
 tip of tail feathers white. Length 7J inches. Female. 
 Back a rich clear reddish brown. Inhabits the country near 
 old Latakoo. 
 
 Genus MELACONOTUS. tiw. 
 
 Melaconotus similis. Neck and head bluish grey ; back a 
 bright yellowish green ; beneath yellow, the breast tinted with 
 orange; greater wing coverts tipt with yellow ; quills brown, 
 outer vanes yellowish green ; tail olive green, tips and edges of 
 inner vanes of feathers yellow. Length 7 inches. Inhabits 
 the country beyond Kurrichaine. 
 
 Melaconotus australis. Top of head brown ; eyebrows white ; 
 edged above and below with black ; neck and back grey brown ; 
 chin whitish ; throat, breast, and belly, pale rusty buff ; wing 
 coverts bright chesnut, outer vanes of most of the quills the 
 same ; inner vanes blackish, edged towards bases with buff ; 
 tail black, all the feathers tipt with white, and the outer vane 
 of the outermost one of each side the same colour till near 
 quill. Length 7J inches. Inhabits the country north of 
 Kurrichaine. 
 
 This, and the last described species, will certainly not belong 
 to the same group, and are now only classed together till an opportu- 
 nity occurs of comparing them with the various forms of the 
 ThawmophilincB, &c. a step I have adopted with some satisfaction, from 
 finding representatives of both united, by Swainson, in the Genus.* 
 The first species has its representative (though on a larger scale) in the 
 Melaconotus Blanchotii, and the last, in Lanius erythropterus. The 
 general character of the plumage, and the habits of these four birds, 
 are however very different. The two first are nearly alike, both 
 seek their food upon trees in exposed situations, and do not readily 
 leave one for another, nor endeavour to conceal themselves. The 
 two last, on the other hand, generally resort to dense thickets, 
 and keep almost constantly advancing nearly in straight lines, unless 
 obstructed. 
 
 riffith ' 8 Traaslation of the Anim al Kingdom, vol. 8, page 678. 
 
45 
 
 Genus PRIONOPS. Vieill. 
 
 Prionops Talacoma. Front white, tinted with grey, top of 
 head dusky washed with grey, behind ears a transverse black 
 bar ; eyes surrounded by a naked yellow membrane ; back 
 shining blackish green ; beneath, and a collar round neck, pure 
 white ; quills black, the primaries towards middle white on 
 inner vanes ; and a broad band of the same colour extends 
 along the wings ; the two outermost tail feathers of each 
 side white, the two middle ones entirely black, the inter- 
 mediate ones black to wards quills, white to wards tips. Length 
 7^ inches. Inhabits the country between Latakoo and the 
 Tropic. 
 
 Genus MERULA.. Ray. 
 
 Merula Libonyana. Above grey with a faint tint of green ; 
 chin rusty white with a band of brown stripes from each 
 side of lower mandible ; breast pale ochrey-grey, sides of 
 belly and insides of shoulders an ochre colour ; centre of belly, 
 vent and under tail coverts pure white ; wings and tail brown ; 
 inner vanes of primaries ochre coloured towards quills ; the 
 tips of the three outermost tail feathers white. Length 9 
 inches. Inhabits the country about and beyond Kurrichane. 
 
 Merula obscura. Above a dull grey-brown; chin and 
 beginning of throat dull white, marked faintly with narrow 
 brown stripes, rest of throat, breast, an4 flanks, grey-brown ; 
 centre of belly and vent an ochre colour ; under tail coverts 
 greenish brown, tipt with dull white, and some of them 
 striped in the course of shafts with the same colour ; wings 
 and tail brown. Length 10 inches. Inhabits the country 
 towards the sources of the Orange Eiver. 
 
 Merula Litsipsirupa. Above grey, tinted with brown ; sides of 
 head and neck white, with an oval black ring behind each eye, 
 and a line of black stripes from each side of lower mandible ; 
 beneath white, the breast and belly variegated with closely set 
 oblong dark brown spots : quills and tail brown, the inner 
 vanes of former, except near tips, buff. Length, 8 inches. 
 Inhabits the country between the Orange Eiver and the 
 Tropic. 
 
 Genus CRATOPCTS. Jard. 
 
 Cratopus Jardineii. Above greyish brown ; the feathers of 
 the head, and of the~back and sides of neck, dark brown 
 in the course of the shafts and at the tips white ; beneath 
 brownish grey the middle of each feather of chin, throat, 
 breast, and centre of belly, clear white towards the point ; 
 wings and tail brown. Length 9 inches. Inhabits the 
 banks of Eivers beyond Kurrichaine. 
 
46 
 
 Sub-family SAXACOLIIOS. ? 
 Sub-genus DESSONORNIS. ? 
 
 Bill moderate, slightly curved towards the point, upper mandible 
 notched ; nostrils basal, above membranaceous ; rictus slightly 
 bristled; wings moderate, rounded, fourth, fifth, and sixth 
 quills longest and nearly equal ; tarsi moderate, acrotarsia 
 indistinctly divided ; claws moderately curved. 
 
 Dessonornis humeralis. Front and crown of head black, with a 
 greyish tint; neck and interscapulars dull bluish grey ; back 
 and rump rufous ; eyebrows white ; sides of head and neck 
 deep black ; flanks, vent, and under tail coverts rufous 
 yellow ; throat, centre of breast, and belly, pure white ; 
 wings black ; crossed by an oblique white stripe, two centre 
 tail feathers black, the rest black towards tips, bright rufous 
 towards quills. Length 6^ inches. Inhabits the banks of 
 the Marikwa, &c. 
 
 Sub-family SAXACOLINJS. 
 Genus ERYTHROPYGIA. 
 
 Bill moderate, slender, curved, and compressed towards the 
 point, upper mandible slightly notched ; nostrils basal, above 
 membranaceous; rictus slightly bristled; wings short, round, 
 fourth and fifth quills longest ; tail rounded ; tarsi moderate, 
 acrotarsia divided ; claws moderately curved. 
 
 Erythropygia pectoralis. Top of head grey-brown; back dull 
 brown ; rump and tail coverts rufous ; eyebrows, chin, and 
 throat, white, the latter edged on each side with a black stripe ; 
 breast, belly, and vent, white, the former freely variegated by 
 longitudinal dark brown stripes ; flanks pale rufous ; wing 
 coverts brown and so tipt with white as to form two oblique 
 bars across each wing ; quills dark brown, outer vanes more 
 or less distinctly edged with white ; tail rounded, two centre 
 feathers black towards quills, edged with dull rufous, lateral 
 ones blackish, tipt with white. Length 6 inches. Inhabits 
 the country between the Orange Eiver and Kurrichaine. 
 
 Erythropygia Paena. Top of head grey-brown; back pale 
 rufous brown ; rump and tail coverts bright rufous ; eyebrows 
 white ; chin and throat dull white, rest of under parts rusty 
 white ; quills brown,outer vanes edged towards bases with pale 
 rufous; tail rounded, two centre feathers dark chesnut towards 
 base, black towards tips, the lateral ones black towards quills, 
 white towards tips. Length 6 inches. Inhabits the country 
 between Latakoo and the Tropic. 
 
 Genus ALAUDA. Auct. 
 
 Alauda chuana. Colour above yellow rufous, with the 
 the middle of the feathers dark brown, and some of the 
 [112] 
 
47 
 
 interscapulars whitish towards tips ; chin white ; rest of 
 under parts a pale cream colour, the lower portion of throat 
 and anterior portion of breast with brown streaks ; eyebrows 
 white ; quills brown edged with reddish white ; tail slightly 
 forked, dark brown, the two centre feathers edged and tipt 
 with yellow rufous, the lateral ones tipt with white, and the 
 outer vanes edged with pale tawny, except the outermost on 
 each side which is white. Length 7J inches. Inhabits the 
 country beyond Latakoo. 
 
 This will form the type of a Sub-genus in the group with naked 
 nostrils. 
 
 Genus MIEAFEA. Horsf. 
 
 Mirafra africana. Front and crown black-brown, feathers 
 faintly edged with dull white ; nape chesnut, the centres of 
 feathers dark brown ; eyebrows white ; upper part of body 
 pale rufous ; with the centres of feathers black-brown ; chin 
 white ; throat, breast, and belly, pale rufous yellow, the former 
 mottled with brown stripes ; outer and inner vanes of quills 
 to wards bases chesnut,elsewhere dark brown ; tail dark brown, 
 the outer vanes of the two outermost feathers white. Length 
 7 inches. Inhabits the eastern province of the colony and the 
 country as far as Latakoo. 
 
 Mirafra africanoides. Head above, interscapulars, and back, 
 rufous with dark brown streaks ; eyebrows white ; nape, and 
 backandsides of neck, light rufous yellow with brown stripes; 
 beneath rusty white, the chin and middle of belly nearly pure 
 white, the anterior part of breast with a few brown stripes ; 
 quills chesnut towards bases, brown towards tips ; tail dark 
 brown, the outermost feather of each side edged with white, 
 the two middle ones with pale rufous. Length 6 inches. 
 Inhabits the eastern province of the colony and the country 
 towards Latakoo. 
 
 Mirafra Sabota. Top of head dark brown, feathers margined 
 with tawny yellow ; eyebrows white ; upper parts of body 
 pale rufous, the middle of each feather dark brown ; 
 beneath rusty white, the lower part of throat tinted with 
 pale rufous and spotted with brown ; tail slightly forked, 
 feathers dark brown margined with pale rufous, the outer- 
 most of each side with white. Length 5 inches. Inhabits 
 the country between Latakoo and the Tropic. 
 
 Genus CEETHILAUDA. Sw. 
 
 Certhilauda semitorquata. Top of head and upper parts of body, 
 rufous ; feathers in the course of shafts dark brown ; half 
 collar on back of neck, immediately in front of interscapulars, 
 obscure grey, streaked with brown ; chin and throat white ; 
 breast and belly tawny white : the anterior part of former 
 
 [113] 
 
48 
 
 and a portion of throat, marked with indistinct brown lines ; 
 tail brown, the outer vanes of lateral feathers and both the 
 vanes of the middle ones edged with pale rufous yellow. 
 Length 8 inches. Inhabits the eastern province of the 
 colony and the country immediately about the Orange River. 
 
 Genus EMBEKIZA. Lin. 
 
 Emberiza Tahapisi. Head and throat black, the former with 
 seven longitudinal white stripes; one from base of mandible to 
 centre of nape, and three on each side ; body above light brown, 
 dashed with dark brown ; beneath light cinnamon brown ; tail 
 dark brown, the outermost feather of each side tipt and edged 
 with pale rufous. Length 5J inches. Inhabits the country 
 towards the sources of Vaal River. 
 
 Emberiza Impetuani. Above light brown, the centres of 
 feathers black-brown ; chin and throat rusty white ; breast, 
 belly, vent, and under tail coverts, pale rufous ; quills brown, 
 outer vanes of primaries narrowly edged with pale rufous, 
 the secondaries broadly, with chesnut ; tail slightly forked, 
 feathers dark brown, edged and tipt with rufous. Length. 
 5J inches. Inhabits the country between the Nu Gariep 
 and Tropic. 
 
 Some years ago I found specimens of this Species inhabiting the 
 arid districts of Little Namaqualand. It will belong to one of the 
 aberrant Subgenera. 
 
 Sub-genus ZONOTEICHIA. Sw. 
 
 Zonotrichia africana. Above black-brown, feathers broadly 
 margined with rufous ; chin white ; throat and breast pale 
 rufous, marked with stripes of dark brown ; middle of belly 
 white ; quills dark brown, outer edges towards base dark 
 chesnut, inner edges pale rufous ; tail rounded, the two 
 outermost feathers of each side white, the second with a brown 
 stripe in the course of the shaft near the point, the intermediate 
 ones dark brown, the two middle ones edged with light rufous. 
 Length 5 inches. Lives amongst the grass, both to the north 
 and south of Kurrichaine. 
 
 Genus. MEGALOTIS.* Sw. 
 
 Megalotis verticalis. Head, neck, and under parts, black-brown ; 
 ears, top of head, nuchal collar, and a spot in front of each 
 wing, white ; interscapulars and back grey-brown, the feathers 
 towards quills brown ; tail slightly forked, the outermost 
 feather of each side brown towards the base of the inner vane, 
 elsewhere white, Length 4| inches. Inhabits the country 
 on both sides of the Orange River. 
 
 * It is possible Mr. Swainson may have altered the title of this 
 Genus, it having been previously employed by llliger to designate a 
 Sub-genuain the Mammalia. 
 
 [114] 
 
49 
 
 Megalotis australis. Head above black-brown ; interscapulars 
 and back ferruginous dashed with dark brown; beneath black; 
 quills and tail black-brown, the two centre feathers of the 
 latter edged and tipt with light rufous. Length 4J inches. 
 Inhabits the country along the Orange River, but extends 
 farther south than the last described. 
 
 It is possible that both this and the last species may have been 
 named and described, though I have not been successful in detecting 
 them. Another species, (belonging to this interesting Genus), the 
 Fringilla otoleucus, of Temminck, known to inhabit Senegal, was 
 discovered immediately beyond Kurrichaine, but only a very few 
 specimens could be procured. 
 
 Genus LINARIA. Auct. 
 
 Linaria gularis. Top of head dark brown, feathers edged with 
 white ; eyebrows white ; neck and upper parts grey-brown, 
 clouded with darker tints ; chin pure white ; breast pale grey- 
 brown; belly tawny white, darkish on the sides; quills and tail 
 brown,thefeathersedgedwithgreenishwhite.Length5Jinches. 
 Inhabits the colony and country as far as Latakoo rare. 
 
 Linaria atrogularis. Above grey-brown, the centres of 
 feathers dark brown ; rump sulphur yellow ; chin and 
 throat black ; breast, belly, and vent, rusty white ; wings 
 brown, the tips of the quills and the inner edges of inner 
 vanes towards bases white, the outer edges golden green ; 
 tail slightly forked, dark brown, with the tips and more or 
 less of the inner vanes of feathers white. Length 4J 
 inches. Inhabits the country about and beyond Kurrichaine. 
 
 Genus ESTRELDA, Sw. 
 
 Estrelda Lipiniana. Top of head, neck, and interscapulars, 
 tinted with crimson ; back, rump, and upper tail coverts, 
 crimson ; hinder part of breast and belly dull crimson ; 
 sides of head, chin, under tail coverts, and tail, black ; quills 
 ashy brown; wing coverts and scapulars grey, closely 
 banded with brown. Length 4J inches. Inhabits the 
 country to the north and east of Kurrichaine. 
 
 Estrelda Squamifrons. Top of head, wing coverts, and tail, 
 black, each feather margined with white ; neck and back 
 rusty grey ; before eye a black spot ; chin black, continued 
 behind into two divergent stripes ; under parts dull white. 
 Length 4 inches. Inhabits South Africa. 
 
 I feel considerable hesitation in assuming this bird to be yet 
 undescribed, it being not very uncommon in the more remote parts 
 of the colony. I am not, however, able to identify it with any species 
 mentioned in the translation of the Animal Kingdom it certainly 
 cannot be Fringilla frontalis, of Vieillot. The character of its bill, 
 in particular, removes it from the typical species of the genus, and 
 this, in conjunction with other peculiarities, may point out for it a 
 more appropriate position. 
 
 D [115] 
 
50 
 
 Genus PYRGITA, Cuv. 
 
 Pyrgita Motiiensis. Top of head and back of neck grey ; 
 eyebrows, sides of neck, and back, chesnut ; the interscapu- 
 lars dashed with dark black-brown; eyeband, chin, and 
 throat, black ; cheeks white ; breast and belly rusty white. 
 Length 6j inches. Inhabits the country about Old Latakoo. 
 
 Pyrgita di/usa. Head and 'neck dull rusty grey ; inter- 
 scapulars brown, washed with grey; wing coverts, back, and 
 rump, dark chesnut brown, some of the coverts tipt with 
 white, which form one or two oblique bands on wings; 
 chin, throat, breast, and flanks, pale grey brown ; belly, vent, 
 and under tail coverts, rusty white ; quills and tail dark 
 brown. Length 5| inches. Inhabits the country between 
 the Orange River and the Tropic. 
 
 Genus CEITHAGRA. Sw. 
 
 Criihagra Selbyii. Upper parts brown- grey ; dashed longitu- 
 dinally with ajdark brown ; rump greenish yellow ; eyebrows, 
 chin, throat, middle of belly vent, and under tail coverts, 
 white; breast and sides of belly brown-grey; quills and 
 tail brown. Length 6 inches. Inhabits the colony and 
 country as far as Kurrichaine 
 
 This, which is a distinct species, has been figured by Sir Wm. 
 Jardine and Mr. Selby as the young of Crithagra sulphurata. 
 
 Genus EUPLECTES. Sw. 
 
 Eupledes taha. The upper part of the head, the inter- 
 scapulars, back, rump, upper tail coverts, and vent, 
 bright yellow ; sides of the head, neck, breast, and belly, 
 velvet black ; wings and tail brown ; under tail coverts 
 dirty white. Length 4J inches. Inhabits the country 
 north and east of Kurrichaine. 
 
 Genus PLOCEUS. Cuv. 
 
 Ploceus Tahatali. Above golden green, the feathers of top 
 of head, back of neck, and interscapulars, dark brown in the 
 course of the shafts ; beneath bright yellow, here and there of 
 an orange tint ; quills brown, outer vanes till near tips edged 
 with golden green ; tail olive brown ; feathers edged with 
 greenish yellow ; greater wing coverts and scapulars brown, 
 margined with yellow or dull white. Length 5J inches. 
 Found between the Orange Eiver and the Tropic. 
 
 Ploceus diibim. Above dark brown, the feathers broadly 
 margined with pale rusty brown ; eyebrows yellow- white ; 
 chin, throat, middle of belly, vent, and under tail coverts, dull 
 white ; breast and sides of belly rusty white, variegated with 
 longitudinal brown lines; quills and tail dark brown, edged 
 [116] 
 
51 
 
 with rusty white. Length 4| inches. Inhabits the country 
 beyond Kurrichaine. 
 
 This may belong to the Genus Euplectes. On examining- the first 
 specimen obtained I was disposed to regard it as the Euplectes Taha, 
 in its winter plumage, which impression was subsequently removed 
 on comparing the two birds and hearing the statements of the natives 
 regarding their nests. The Euplectes Taha builds amongst reeds, the 
 Ploceus dubius upon trees. 
 
 Sub-genus PLOCEPASSER.* 
 
 Bill conical, pointed; culmen arched and entering between 
 feathers of forehead ; edges of upper mandible slightly waved ; 
 nostrils basal, rounded, and open; rictus slightly bristled; 
 wings rather long, third and fourth quills equal ; tail slightly 
 rounded ; tarsi moderate, outer and inner toes of equal length ; 
 claws slightly curved and rather blunt. 
 
 Plocepasser Mahali. Upper part of head, and a longitudinal 
 stripe on each side of neck, black-brown ; eyebrows white ; 
 sides of head brown ; sides of neck, interscapulars, and back, 
 light brown ; rump, upper and under tail coverts, chin, and 
 throat, pure white ; breast and belly dull white, faintly 
 clouded with brown ; wing coverts and scapulars dark brown, 
 the former tipt with white so as to form two oblique lines of 
 that colour on the wings ; tail black-brown tipt with white. 
 Length 6 \ inches. Inhabits the country between the Orange 
 Eiver and the Tropic. 
 
 Genus LOXIA. And. 
 
 Loxia Lathamii. Above brown, the interscapulars and wing 
 coverts edged and tipt with pale rufous or rusty white ; chin, 
 middle of belly, vent, and under tail coverts, white ; breast and 
 sides of belly rusty white, the latter and sides of breast faintly 
 clouded with brown. Length 4 inches. Inhabits the country 
 near to and beyond Kurrichaine. 
 
 I have not ventured to assign this species to a Sub-genus, as the 
 different forms cannot here be ascertained. 
 
 Sub-family AGELAIN^E. Sw. 
 
 Genus BUBALORNIS. 
 
 Bill elongated, pointed, slightly compressed towards the point; 
 culmen arched and entering between the feathers of forehead ; 
 nostrils basal subcylindrical and open ; rictus slightly bristled; 
 wings rounded, third fourth and fifth quills equal; tail 
 moderate, rounded ; tarsi and acrotarsia divided, the divisions 
 of latter in part obsolete ; outer and inner toes equal ; claws 
 short, slightly curved, and blunt. 
 
 * The Ploceus superciliosus, of Euppel, may perhaps belong to this grou 
 
 pei, may pernaps oeiong to tnis group. 
 
 D 2 [117] 
 
52 
 
 Bubalomis niger. Shining black; flanks and sides of breast 
 slightly variegated with white ; inner vanes of quills white 
 towards their bases, and the outer vanes of several broadly 
 edged with the same colour; bill red. Length 8 inches. 
 Inhabits the country about Kurrichaine, and is generally 
 found accompanying herds of Buffaloes. 
 
 Sub-family LAMPROTORNINJE. 
 
 Sub-genus MEGALOPTEEUS. 
 
 Bill moderate, nearly straight; culmen gently curved towards 
 the point and entering slightly between the feathers of forehead, 
 upper mandible slightly notched ; nostrils basal, above mem- 
 branaceous ; rictus slightly bristled ; wings large, fourth or 
 fifth quill longest, the second, third, fourth, and sometimes the 
 fifth, obliquely truncated at the points, each with a projecting 
 corner at the inner angle; tail moderately or very much 
 graduated ; tarsi long, acrotarsia divided ; claws moderately 
 curved. 
 
 Megalopterus australis. Plumage a bright splendent green ; 
 ears violet purple, with a half collar of the same colour on 
 the back of the neck immediately in front of interscapulars; 
 belly green-blue with a steel gloss ; tail graduated, the 
 outermost feather of each side three inches shorter than the 
 two centre ones. Length 13 inches. Inhabits the country 
 beyond Kurrichaine. 
 
 As specimens of this bird have been sent to Europe, it is possible 
 that it may have been described, though I cannot recognise it in any 
 of the publications within reach. It doubtless belongs to the same 
 group as the Turdus ceneus, of Senegal. When flying, the wings 
 appear out of proportion to the body, and give the appearance of a 
 size to the bird which in reality it does not possess. In the movement 
 of the wings there is also a marked difference between it and the 
 smaller species of the genus. 
 
 Fam. CORVID.E, Sw. 
 
 Genus EUEOCEPHALUS. 
 
 Bill short, slightly arched, broad at base, compressed towards 
 point, the upper mandible slightly notched ; nostrils basal and 
 partly covered by the incumbent feathers ; rictus slightly 
 bristled; wings moderate pointed, third quill longest; tail 
 slightly rounded ; tarsi short and like the acrotarsia divided ; 
 outer toe longer than the inner one ; claws slightly curved. 
 
 Eurocephalus anguitimens. Front crown and middle of neck 
 above white ; ears black ; sides of neck behind ears dull brown ; 
 interscapulars, back, rump, and upper tail coverts, pale ashy 
 brown ; wing coverts, quills, and tail, dark brown ; throat, 
 breast, and anterior part of belly, white ; posterior part of 
 
53 
 
 belly, vent, and under tail coverts, rusty wood brown. 
 Length 8J inches. Inhabits the country between Latakoo 
 and the Tropic. 
 
 When an opportunity occurs of comparing this bird with the various 
 forms of the Corvidoe, its true place may be found in another family, 
 and the resemblances, particularly as regards its habits, may be those 
 of analogy and not affinity. 
 
 Genus CINNYRIS. Cuv. 
 Cinnyris Mariquensis. Head, neck, and upper part of body, 
 
 green gold, with a splendid coppery gloss ; breast crimson, 
 
 edged in front by a narrow steel blue band ; wings brown ; 
 
 belly and tail black. Length 4| inches. Inhabits the country 
 
 north of Kurrichaine. 
 Cinnyris talatala. Head, neck, and upper parts of body, 
 
 green gold ; chin inclined to purple ; anterior part of breast 
 
 deep violet blue, with a bright purple gloss ; belly white ; 
 
 under each wing an oblong sulphur yellow spot ; wings brown ; 
 
 tail black, the outer vanes of feathers edged with green gold. 
 
 Length 4 inches. Inhabits the country between the Orange 
 
 Biver and Kurrichaine. 
 
 Genus CHRYSOPTILUS. Sw. 
 
 Chrysoptilus Bennettii. Top of head, and a longitudinal 
 band behind gape, crimson red ; upper parts of body green- 
 brown, barred irregularly with pale greenish yellow ; cheeks, 
 chin, and eyebrows, yellowish white ; beneath pale golden 
 yellow, breast and belly variegated with rounded black- 
 brown spots ; tail indistinctly barred brown and golden 
 yellow, the tips of feathers black brown. Length 7J inches. 
 Inhabits the country about and beyond Kurrichaine. 
 
 Chrysoptilus Abingoni. Top of head, and a longitudinal 
 band behind gape, a dark slate colour, sprinkled with red ; 
 elongated feathers of hind head bright scarlet ; body above 
 olive brown and golden green, with one or more pale yellow 
 diamond shaped spots on each feather ; chin aud throat white, 
 with longitudinal black stripes ; breast and belly straw 
 yellow, with similar stripes ; tail olive brown, with dull 
 golden yellow bars, tips of feathers dull golden yellow. 
 Length 7J inches. Occurs in the same localities with the 
 last. 
 Specimens of this species were obtained near Port Natal in 1832. 
 
 Sub-family BUCCONIN^E. Sw. 
 
 Sub-genus POLYSTICTE. 
 
 Bill compressed, pointed, the edges of upper mandible towards 
 base dilated, culmen arched ; nostrils basal, round, and open ; 
 rictus slightly bristled ; wings short, rounded, the fourth and 
 
 [119] 
 
54 
 
 fifth quills rather longest ; tail moderate, rounded ; tarsi and 
 acrotarsia divided, two outermost toes nearly of equal length. 
 
 Polysticte Quopopa. Crested, crest, back of neck, intersca- 
 pulars, wing coverts, and a broad crescent on anterior part of 
 breast, black-blue, with a shining metallic gloss ; the inter- 
 scapulars and coverts broadly tipt with white, the crescent 
 on breast variegated with pale rose coloured spots ; front, 
 crown, sides of head, chin, and anterior part of belly, sulphur 
 yellow, variegated with blood red spots or stripes ; back, 
 hinder portion of belly, vent, and under tail coverts, greenish 
 yellow; upper wing coverts crimson; quills brown, outer vanes 
 barred with white ; tail black-blue, both vanes partially barred 
 with white and broadly tipt with the same colour. Length 
 8J inches. Inhabits from Kurrichaine to the Tropic. 
 
 Family MUSOPHAGID^;. Sw. 
 
 Genus PHIMUS. Wagl. 
 Sub-genus COLIPHIMUS. 
 
 Bill short, compressed, margin of upper mandible obtusely 
 angulated and notched near tip, culmen strongly arched from 
 base ; nostrils oblong, open ; wings moderate, pointed, fifth 
 quill longest, fourth and sixth equal ; tail long, spreading, 
 slightly rounded. 
 
 Goliphimus concolor. Forehead surmounted by a large and point- 
 ed crest of decomposed feathers of the same dull grey colour 
 as the rest of the body ; quills brown, glossed with coppery 
 green ; tail rounded, two centre feathers brown, lateral ones 
 blackish green. Length 17| inches. Inhabits the country 
 from Kurrichaine to the Tropic. 
 
 Genus PERDIX, Lin. 
 
 Perdix Swainsonii. Space round eyes, chin, and part of 
 throat, bare and deep red ; neck black brown, feathers 
 edged with white ; interscapulars rusty grey, each with a 
 brown stripe in the course of the shaft ; back, rump, and 
 upper tail coverts finely variegated, yellowish white and 
 brown; beneath rusty grey, each feather with a brown 
 stripe in the course of the shaft, and the belly with dashes 
 of deep chesnut; tail light brown,with oblique, waved, dark 
 brown lines. Length 14 inches. Inhabits the banks of 
 Eivers beyond Kurrichaine. 
 
 Perdix Lechoho. Top of head rusty brown, neck mottled 
 black-brown and white ; back and tail pale rusty yellow, 
 tinted with grey, and closely mottled with brown in waved 
 irregular lines, many of the* feathers towards their centres 
 with a dark brown stripe ; beneath irregularly spotted dark 
 
55 
 
 brown and white, the latter the prevailing colour on the 
 belly. Length 11^ inches. Inhabits the banks of the 
 Marikwa and Limpopo Rivers. 
 This species I also found on the banks of Rivers near Port Natal. 
 
 Perdix Levalliantoides, Top of head black-brown, feathers 
 ed ged with pale ruf ous ; back of neck chesnut with black and 
 white spots ; back a dark, bright, red-brown, variegated with 
 grey, pale rufous and black, each feather with a rusty white 
 stripe in the course of shaft, which stripe is generally edged 
 on each side by black ; over and under each eye a mottled 
 black and white band, each of which extends towards the 
 middle of the throat, where they unite and form a large 
 patch of the same character ; breast and belly varied dark 
 chesnut brown and pale buff, the latter colour is bounded 
 partially with black or black-brown ; chin white. Length 
 llf inches. Inhabits the country towards sources of Orange 
 Biver. 
 
 Perdix Sephaena. Top of head grey brown ; neck chesnut, the 
 feathers edged with white ; back pale chesnut, behind in- 
 clining to brown, the feathers with a whitish stripe in the 
 course of the shafts ; chin, eyebrows, and a stripe under each 
 eye white ; throat and breast yellow- white, each feather with 
 a large, somewhat triangular, bright logwood coloured spot 
 towards the point ; belly tawny yellow, finely mottled with 
 white and brown irregular lines ; under tail coverts buff ; 
 quills and tail dark brown. Length 12 inches. Inhabits 
 the banks of the Marikwa and Limpopo Eivers. 
 
 Perdix Coqui. Top of head chesnut, back and sides of neck 
 rufous yellow ; a black stripe over and another below each 
 eye the former ending on side of neck, the latter uniting in 
 front of the neck with the one of the opposite side ; chin 
 rusty white ; body above pale rufous, feathers barred or 
 irregularly spotted with deep brown, and each with a 
 whitish line in the course of the shaft ; breast a pale cinna- 
 mon colour ; belly with broad black and yellowish white 
 bars. Length 9 inches. Inhabits dry flats beyond 
 Kurrichaine. 
 
 The two first species of this Genus resemble in their plumage and 
 manners the Francolins ; the three last the true Patridges. 
 
 Genus OETYGIS. III. 
 
 Ortygis Lepurana. Top of head brown, with a narrow 
 whitish stripe from bill to nape; back variegated fulvous and 
 brown-black,the variegations in the form of waved and arched 
 lines, on the middle of each feather ; the edges of feathers 
 greyish ; chin and throat dull white ; centre of breast with a 
 lame pale cinnamon blotch ; sides of breast pale buff, with 
 
 [121] 
 
56 
 
 arrow shaped, blackish spots ; belly white, flanks tinted with 
 pale rufous yellow. Length 5 inches. Inhabits the country 
 north of Kurrichaine. 
 
 Genus PTEROCLES. Temm. 
 
 Pterocles variegatus, Burch, (male). Front black; eyebrows, 
 sides of head, and chin, light grey; general character of 
 the plumage given by Burchell* in his description of the 
 female. Inhabits the country between Latakoo and the 
 Tropic. 
 
 Pterocles gutturalis. Top of head brown, tinted with honey 
 yellow ; nape and sides of neck of the latter colour ; back, 
 shaded rusty grey, lavender purple, and honey yellow, the 
 feathers towards quills blackish ; eyebrows white ; space 
 between eye and bill black ; chin and part of throat straw 
 yellow, behind the latter a half collar of black ; belly, vent, 
 and under tail coverts, deep reddish brown ; wing coverts 
 pale gall-stone yellow. Length 11J inches. Inhabits the 
 country to the north and south of Kurrichaine. 
 
 Genus OTIS. Lin. 
 
 Otis ruficrista. Head above rusty grey-blue ; eyebrows, space 
 in front of eyes, and the occiput, rusty white, mottled with 
 brown, the latter with a pale chesnut crest of fine silky 
 feathers; interscapulars, scapulars, and the lesser wing coverts, 
 variegated pale rufous and brown, each feather with one or 
 more arrow-shaped, buff coloured spots ; chin white, with a 
 longitudinal black stripe ; neck blue-grey, above freckled 
 with white ; ears, and a spot in front of each shoulder, white; 
 quills dark black-brown, some of them partially crossed by 
 buff coloured bands; tail rounded, centre feathers with 
 zigzag black and white lines, lateral ones green-black 
 towards quills, with waved white lines. Length 20 inches. 
 Inhabits the country between Latakoo and the Tropic. 
 
 Otis Afraoides. Crown brown, clouded with grey, and edged 
 with white ; ears, bar in front of interscapulars, shoulders, 
 and a longitudinal band on each wing, white ; neck and 
 under parts shining black ; interscapulars and scapulars 
 variegated with rufous yellow and black transverse lines ; 
 wing feathers black, the inner vanes of the primaries and the 
 outer vanes of some of the secondaries, white towards quills ; 
 tail rounded, the middle feathers finely barred black and 
 rufous yellow, the lateral ones blue-grey, with waved black 
 lines and a broad black bar towards points, all the feathers 
 tipt with white. Length 19 inches. Inhabits the country 
 between the Sneuwbergen and Kurrichaine. 
 
 * Travels in South Africa, vol. 2, p. 345. 
 [122] 
 
57 
 t 
 
 Family ARDIAD^E. 
 Sub-genus CANCROPHAGUS. Briss. 
 
 Cancrophagus gutturalis. Above a dark slate colour; throat 
 white with a deep black-blue central line, widening as it 
 descends ; middle of breast rusty white dashed with black- 
 blue ; belly pale rufous, with broad longitudinal slate 
 coloured stripes ; wings and tail of the same colour as back, 
 only rather darker. Length 11 J inches. Shot between the 
 Black and Vaal Eivers rare. 
 
 Genus CAEBO. Meyer. 
 
 Carbo Africanoides. Head, back, and sides of neck, dull 
 brown, clouded with black-green; interscapulars dark 
 brown, margined with white ; back, rump, and point of 
 shoulders, black-^reen ; wing coverts and scapulars hoary 
 blue-grey, tipt with white, and crossed near extremities by a 
 black bar, some of them also finely margined with black ; 
 throat, breast, and belly, dull white, the first clouded with 
 brown ; sides of breast, flanks, thighs, and under tail coverts, 
 green-black ; quills greenish brown ; tail greenish black. 
 Length 20 inches. Shot near New Latakoo. 
 
 This may perhaps prove to be the Pelecanus Africanus, at a certain 
 age. 
 
 Note. The names given by the Natives to the objects above 
 described, I have adopted as the trivial ones, whenever they 
 would readily admit of such application, under an idea that 
 they are not so calculated to confuse and mislead as those 
 formed with a view to indicate certain assumed peculiarities 
 in the individual objects. In the proportion in which we are 
 enabled to extend the number of species, in the same propor- 
 tion do we find the appearances which at one stage of the 
 science were considered peculiar to one species to be common to 
 many, therefore until some form of nomenclature be invented, 
 which is not calculated to confuse and mislead by suggesting 
 some such character or appearance in an object, it would per- 
 haps be better to avoid, as much as possible, any reference to 
 such in the name. Every Naturalist must have found the diffi- 
 culty of discovering suitable names for species, and yet no one 
 has endeavoured to devise a system of nomenclature, which 
 could be carried to any extent without difficulty, and be free 
 from ambiguity. 
 
 [123] 
 
I TsT D E X. 
 
 Accipiter, 25, 82 
 
 gabar, 27, 83 
 francescii, 84 
 madagascariensis, 66, 86 
 melanoleucus, 31, 86 
 minullus, 28, 85 
 monogrammicus, 82 
 musicus, 25, 84 
 niger, 83 
 polyzonus, 82 
 rufiventris, 33, 56, 85 
 tachiro, 30, 83 
 Alauda, 112 
 
 ,, chuana, 112 
 Alcedo, 62 
 
 natalensis, 62 
 Aquila, 17, 74 
 
 bellicosa, 18, 76, 77 
 choka, 20, 76 
 coronata, 77 
 heliaca, 75 
 raogilnik, 75 
 nsevia, 74 
 rapax, 75 
 vulturina, 18, 75 
 B[D]es8onornis, 112 
 
 humeralis, 112 
 
 Bubalornis, 117 
 
 niger, 118 
 Bubo, 105 
 
 capensis, 105 
 ,, lactea, 105 
 Buphaga, 60 
 
 africanoides, 60 
 Butaetes, 91 
 Butaetus buteo, 91 
 ., lessoni, 91 
 Buteo, 41, 89 
 
 bacha, 24 
 desertorum, 46, 91 
 jackal, 41, 89 
 lagopus, 42, 44 
 tachardus, 45, 90 
 Cancrophagus, 123 
 
 ,, gutturalis, 123 
 
 Carbo, 123 
 
 africanoides, 123 
 Certhilauda, 113 
 
 semitorquata, 113 
 Chrysoptilus, 119 
 
 abingoni, 119 
 
 bennettii, 119 
 
 Cinnyris, 61, 119 
 
 mariquensis, 119 
 talatala, 119 
 verroxii, 61 
 Circaeetus, 15, 79 
 
 pectoralis, 15, 79 
 Circaetus bacha, 80 
 cinerens, 79 
 ,, thoracinus, 79 
 Circus, 47, 92 
 
 acoli, 50, 93 
 gallinarius, 92 
 lalandii, 47 
 levailiantii, 51, 94 
 maurus, 93 
 melanoleucus, 92 
 ranivorus, 50, 93 
 superaliaris, 49, 94 
 swainsoni, 48, 94 
 Coliphimus, 120 
 
 ,, concolor, 120 
 Corythaix, 61 
 
 burchelii, 61 
 ,, concolor, 64 
 Crateropus, 111 
 
 jardinii, 111 
 Crithagra, 116 
 
 albogularis, 64 
 
 selbyi, 116 
 Cymindis, 24 
 
 bacha, 24 
 Edolius ludwigii, 68 
 Elanus, 53 
 
 csesius, 53, 87 
 melanopterus, 53, 88 
 Emberiza, 114 
 
 impetuani, 114 
 ,, tahapisi, 114 
 
 [125] 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Erythropygia, 112 
 
 paena, 112 
 
 pectoralis, 112 
 
 Estrelda, 115 
 
 lipiniana, 115 
 squamifrons, 115 
 Euplectes, 116, 117 
 
 taha, 116, 117 
 Eurocephalus, 118 
 
 ,, anguitemens, 118 
 
 Falco, 34, 95, 110 
 acoli,50 
 tesalon, 99 
 albescens, 21, 80 
 armiger, 18, 76 
 bacha, 24, 80 
 ,, barbatus, 11 
 bellicosus, 18 
 biarmicus, 96 
 blagrus, 14, 78 
 ,, capensis, 39 
 
 chiqueroides, 35, 97 
 , concolor, 97 
 cuvieri, 56, 98 
 desertorum, 46, 91 
 ecaudatus, 17, 79 
 frontalis, 34, 115 
 gabar, 27, 83 
 galericulatus, 34 
 gallinarius, 92 
 gymnogenys, 82 
 imperialis, 75 
 jackal, 41, 90 
 lagopus, 42, 44, 45, 91 
 lythofalco, 98 
 melanoleucus, 92 
 melanopteras, 53 
 minullus, 28 
 monogrammicus, 82 
 musicus, 25, 85 
 nsevioides, 76 
 occipitalis, 21, 81 
 peregrinoides, 37, 96 
 peregrinus, 38, 95 
 p[o]lumipe8, 43 
 plumipes, 44 
 poly zones, 82 
 punctatus, 98 
 ranivorous, 50, 93 
 rapax, 76 
 rufiventris, 33 
 rupicoloides, 40, 97 
 rupicolus, 39, 97 
 sclavonicus, 43, 44 
 semitorquatus, 110 
 subbuteo, 98 
 tachardus, 45, 90 
 
 [126] 
 
 Falco tibialis, 35 
 vccifer, 13, 78 
 vulturinus, 18 
 Francolinus natalensis, 64 
 Fringilla otoleucus, 115 
 Glareola ocularis, 66 
 Gymnogenys madagascariensis, 82 
 Gypaetus, 11, 74 
 
 bar atus, 11, 74 
 Gypogeranus, 69 
 
 ,, africanus, 69 
 
 Halcyon senegaloides, 68 
 
 ,, swainsoni, 67 
 Haliseetus, 13, 77 
 
 blagrus, 14, 77 
 vocifer, 13, 78 
 Helotarsus, 16, 78 
 
 typicus, 17, 78 
 Lamprotornis rufiventris, 68 
 Linaria, 115 
 
 atrogularis, 115 
 gularis, 115 
 Loxia, 117 
 
 lathami, 117 
 Melaconotus, 110 
 
 ,, australis, 110 
 
 ,, similis, 110 
 
 Megalopterns, 118 
 
 ,, australis, 118 
 
 Megalotis, 114 
 
 ,, australis, 115 
 verticalis, 114 
 Merops, 106 
 
 segyptius, 107 
 ,, apiaster, 107 
 bicolor, 107 
 bullockii, 108 
 bullockoides, 108 
 caeruleocephalus, 107 
 ,, cuvieri, 108 
 malimbicus, 107 
 ,, nubicus, 107 
 savignii, 108 
 Merula, 111 
 
 libonyana, 111 
 litsipsirupa, 111 
 ,, obscura, 111 
 Milvus, 54, 87 
 
 parasiticus, 54, 87 
 Mirafra, 113 
 
 africana, 113 
 ,, africanoides, 112 
 sabota, 113 
 Morphinus, 21 
 Morphinus albescens, 21, 80 
 ,, dubius, 23, 92 
 occipitalis, 21,80 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Morphnus, 80 
 Nauclerus, 88 
 Neophron, 8, 22 
 
 aegyptiacus, 8, 73 
 carunculatus, 9, 73 
 niger, 73 
 Noctua, 100 
 
 ,, capensis, 101 
 hirsuta, 100 
 ,, occipitalis, 100 
 perlata, 101 
 woodfordi, 100 
 Ortygis, 121 
 
 ,, lepurana, 121 
 Otis, 62, 122 
 afra, 63 
 
 afroides, 62, 63, 122 
 arabs, 63 
 coleii, 63 
 ruficollis, 63 
 ruficrista, 122 
 torquata, 63 
 verroxii, 63 
 vigorsii, 63 
 Otus, 102 
 
 ascalaphus, 103 
 brachyotos, 104 
 capensis, 104 
 leucotis, 103 
 maculosus, 103 
 madagascariensis, 104 
 Pe dix, 120 
 
 coqui, 121 
 lecholo, 120 
 levaillantoides, 121 
 sephaena, 121 
 swainsoni, 120 
 Pernis, 89 
 
 ,, madagascariensis, 89 
 Phimus, 120 
 Plocepasser, 117 
 
 mahali, 117 
 
 Ploceus, 116 
 
 dubius, 116, 117 
 stictonotus, 59 
 superciliosus, 117 
 
 tahatali, 116 
 Polyboroides, 12, 81 
 
 typicus, 13, 81 
 
 Polysticte, 119 
 
 ,, quopopa, 120 
 
 Prionops, 111 
 
 talacoma, 111 
 Pterocles, 122 
 
 gutturalis, 122 
 ,, variegatus, 122 
 Pyrgita, 116 
 
 diffusa, 116 
 motitensis, 116 
 Eallus madagascariensis, 66 
 Scops, 102 
 
 ,, capensis, 102 
 europeus, 102 
 Strix, 104 
 
 africanus, 103 
 ascalaphus, 103 
 ,, capensis, 105 
 choucou, 99 
 hirsuta, 100 
 lactea, 105 
 leucotis, 103 
 maculosus, 103 
 nisuella, 100 
 occipitaiis, 100 
 perlata, 102 
 scops, 102 
 Surnia, 99 
 
 choucou, 99 
 nisuella, 99 
 Terathopius ecaudatus, 79 
 Trichophorus flaviventris, 67 
 Turdus senens, 118 
 Vidua, 60 
 Vultur, 3, 70 
 
 ,, arrianus, 70 
 aureus, 11, 74 
 ,, auricularis, 5, 71 
 barbarus, 11, 74 
 barbatus, 11, 74 
 fulvus, 3, 70 
 ,, galericulatus, 71 
 kolbii, 4 
 
 leucocephalus, 3, 8, 11 
 ,, monachus, 72 
 ,, niger, 72 
 ,, occipitalis, 7, 72 
 percnopterus, 3, 8, 73 
 ,, ponticerianus, 5 
 trencalos, 3 
 Zonotrichia, 114 
 
 africana, 114 
 
 [127] 
 
Sotietg 
 
 REPRINTING OF SCARCE ORNITHOLOGICAL WORKS, 
 
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 ESTABLISHED 1879. 
 
 COMMITTEE OF SELECTION : 
 
 ALFEED NEWTON, M.A., F.E.S., V.P.Z.S. 
 
 OSBEET SALVIN, M.A., F.E.S., F.Z.S. 
 PHILIP LUTLEY SCLATEE, M.A., F.E.S., SEC. Z.S. 
 
 THE PAST AND PRESENT EDITORS OF "THE IBIS." 
 
 DIRECTOR: 
 
 W. B. TEGETMEIEE, F.Z.S. 
 
 FINCHLEY, N. 
 
 SECRETARY; 
 
 F. DU CANE GODMAN, F.L.S. 
 CHANDOS-STEEET, CAVENDISH-SQUAEE, LONDON, W. 
 
THE WILLUGHBY SOCIETY. 
 
 AT a Meeting of Ornithologists, at 6, Tenterden-street, Hanover-square, 
 on May 7, 1879, Professor NEWTON in the Chair, it was agreed "That 
 an Association should be formed for reprinting certain Ornithological 
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 The late and present EDITORS of "The Ibis" and Mr. TEGETMEIEE 
 were requested to form an Organising Committee to promote this 
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 The Committee thus appointed met at 11, Hanover-square, on 
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 I. " That this Association be called ' THE WILLUGHBY SOCIETY for 
 
 the Eeprinting of scarce Ornithological Works.' " 
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 III. "That no Copies of Works reprinted by THE WILLUGHBY 
 
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 In order to carry out effectually the object of this Society, it is 
 necessary that the number of Members should be as large as possible : 
 those, therefore, who wish to join it are requested to communicate 
 with the Secretary, Mr. F. D. GODMAN, 10, Chandos-street, Cavendish- 
 square, W.C. 
 
 In addition to TUNSTALL'S " Ornithologia Britannica," DES- 
 FONTAINES' " Me'moire sur quelques nouvelles especes d'oiseaux des 
 cotes de Barbarie," from "Hist, de 1'Acad. des Sciences," 1787, and 
 SIB ANDREW SMITH'S " Miscellaneous Ornithological Papers," already 
 issued, 
 
 A. A. H. LICHTENSTEIN'S " Catalogus rerum naturalium rarissi- 
 marum." Hamburg : 1793, 
 
 is now being printed for the subscribers of the year 1880 ; and the 
 
The Willughby Society. 
 
 following works are under consideration as suitable to the operations 
 of the Society. 
 
 Mr. B. H. HODGSON'S papers in the "Indian Eeview " and " Asiatic 
 
 Besearches." 
 SAVIGNY and AUDOUIN'S Ornithology of Egypt. The complete text 
 
 in 8vo. 
 
 VIEILLOT'S "Analyse d'une nouvelle ornithologie." 
 LEACH'S Catalogue of the Mammalia and Birds in the British 
 
 Museum. 
 
 BAEEEEE'B " Ornithologiae specimen novum." 
 MOHBING'S " Avium genera." 
 BECHSTEIN'S papers in the " Naturforscher." 
 PENNANT'S " Faunula Americana." 
 
 TEMMINCK'S "Catalogue Systematique du Cabinet d' Ornithologie." 
 SGANZIN'S "Notes sur 1' Ornithologie de Madagascar," from the 
 
 Mem. de la Soc. d'Hist. Nat. de Strasbourg. 
 Ornithological papers by BAY and LISTEE in the " Philosophical 
 
 Transactions." 
 
 SCHWENCKFELD'S " Aviarium Silesiacum." 
 Ornithological papers in the Transactions of the Academy of Sciences 
 
 of St. Petersburg. 
 Ornithological portion of the Appendices to the "Beise " of PALLAS, 
 
 S. G. GMELIN, and other Bussian Travellers. 
 CHAELETON'S "Onomasticon." 
 
 TUENEE'S "Avium &c. brevis et succincta Historia." 
 BAETON'S " Fragments of the Natural History of Pensylvania." 
 
 &c., &c. 
 
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N9 825849 
 
 QL692 
 Smith, A. SU9 
 
 Sir Andrew Smith's 
 Miscellaneous ornithol- 
 ogical papers. 
 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 DAVIS