186 Mr. Vicors’s and Dr. HonsriErp's Description of the 
South Wales. I never observed it to attack the fowls; and I 
have some recollection of the natives telling me its principal 
food was field-mice. I have seen it at times hover in the air 
apparently motionless and stationary. It is a migratory species. 
.] have noticed one as early in the season as February 9th, 1805. 
—The irides are reddish-orange." 
The Elanus melanopterus appears to be spread over a vast 
extent of the Old World, being numerous in Egypt, and the 
greater part of Africa, as far as to the Cape of Good Hope. It has 
also been met with in various parts of India, in Java, and New 
Holland. There seems to be a considerable variation in the 
plumage of this species, the black markings of the wing spread- 
ing to a greater or less extent in different specimens. 
Subfam. AQUILINA. 
Genus. Hatiziitus. Sav. 
1. Carer. Hal. rufescenti-brunneus nigro-variegatus, remigi- 
bus fuscis, rectricibus cineraceis nigro-fasciatis apice pallido. 
Caput, pectus, abdomen, femoraque rufescentia, nigro-lineata. - 
_ Dorsi crissique plume, scapulares, tectricesque superiores 
= pallidiores, maculis subtriangularibus nigris notate, rufo- 
marginate. Remiges superne fusci, infrà albescentes, ni- 
gro-fasciate. Rectrices superne cineraceæ, subtus albidæ, 
fasciis decem nigrescentibus notatæ. Pedes pallidi; ungues 
nigri. Longitudo corporis, 23; rostri, 13; ale à carpo ad 
remigem quartam, 17; caude, 11; tarsi, 23. 
Domini Grorcit CALEY, peregrinatoris eruditi, sagacissimique 
observatoris, qui, per decem annos in Australiá commoratus, 
~ Naturam in adyto suo, in agris, sylvis, montibusque coluit, 
hec species, quam inter multas alias laboribus ejus debemus, 
nomine designetur. 
cA 
