78 Miscellaneous. 



Description of a new Species of the Genus Buteo from 

 Mexico. By Philip Lutley Sclater, M.A., F.L.S., etc. 



Mr. J. H. Gurney has called my attention to a specimen of 

 a species of the genus Buteo belonging to the Norwich Museum, 

 which I now exhibit. It was formerly in the collection of this 

 Society, and was originally received along with other birds from the 

 State of Tamaulipas, in Northern Mexico, by Mr. Gould. I have 

 never seen any other bird quite resembling it — the nearest ally known 

 to me being the Buteo albonotatus of G. R. Gray ; from which, how- 

 ever, on comparison, it appears to be perfectly distinct. I agree 

 with Mr. Gurney in considering it as probably unde scribed ; and in 

 allusion to its nearly uniform sooty black plumage, propose to cha- 

 racterize it as 



Buteo fuliginosus, sp. nov. 



Saturate fuliginoso-brunneus unicolor ; capite, dorso medio et 

 alarum primariis extuspaulo nigricantioribits : primariorum et 

 secundariorum vexillis internis suhtus alhis, sex aut septem 

 vittis nigris transversim notatis ; tectricihus alarum infe- 

 riorihus nigro-hrunneis : cauda supra fuliginoso-hrunnea^ vittis 

 quinque aut sex nigris obsolete transfasciata et nigro late 

 terminata ; cauda subtus alba et vittis dilutioribus : rostro 

 nigro, pedibusjlavis. 



Long, tota 15*5, alse 12'0, caudae Q'^j tarsi 2*6. 



Hab. In Mexico Boreali. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



On the Burrowing Habits of Peachia hastata, Gosse. 

 By E. W. H. HoLDswoRTH, F.L.S. &c. 



The recent acquisition of a living specimen of Feachia hastata has 

 enabled me to observe some of its habits, and to ascertain its mode 

 of penetrating the sand, in which it is generally found. Soon after it 

 reached me, it was placed in a tall vase of sea-water, having a depth 

 of about two inches of fine sand at the bottom ; the first few hours 

 of its confinement were employed in an examination of its prison, 

 the animal crawling over the surface of the sand with an almost im- 

 perceptible motion. After it had selected a suitable place for burrow- 

 ing, in the darkest part of the vase, the posterior extremity of the 

 body became tapered to a fine point by a partial expulsion of the 

 contained water, and at the same time turned downwards and pressed 

 slightly into the ground ; the fluid contents of the animal were then 

 forced back until the base was completely distended, and by this 

 means a shallow depression in the sand produced ; the tail then re- 

 assumed its conical shape, was again thrust into the ground, and 

 swelled out ; and these proceedings were continued until a hole was 

 made sufficiently large to admit the animal. Its first efforts in 



