Dr Heineken 071 the Birds of Madeira. 145 



Aet. XVI. — Notice of some of the Birds of Madeira. By 

 C. Heineken, M. D. Communicated by the Author. (See 

 last Number, p. 229.) 



Cathartes Percnopterus, (Tem.) The only individual of 

 this genus ever known to have visited this island was shot 

 while flying slowly over the skirts of the city on the 3d of No- 

 vember 18^7, and is now in my possession. It answers in 

 colour to the intermediate stage between the first year and 

 adult plumage of Cuvier and Temminck. It was in good con- 

 dition ; and the stomach full of putrid flesh and maggots. 

 For about a fortnight before its arrival the wind had been 

 blowing so strong as to drive the gulls close in shore; and it 

 either came to us from the coast of Africa, or more probably 

 from Tenerifffe, if, as I have been informed, it breeds and is 

 stationary there. 



We have three stationary birds of prey, viz. Falco buteo, 

 (Manta,) F.tinnunculus^ (Francelho,) and F. nisus, (Furo 

 bardo). Bowdich mentions the F. ^salon ; but, as I have 

 never either seen or heard of it, and as he omits the F. tin- 

 7iunculus, which is so common that three or four at a time 

 may constantly be seen over the skirts of the town, it is pro- 

 bably a slip of the pen, and the kestrel, not the merlin, in- 

 tended by him. He also calls our manta " a new species of 

 eagle, &c ;" but I suspect that his observations of the bird 

 were very superficial, and confined probably to a single and 

 young individual, for I have had at different times at least 

 eight specimens (two of which were living) of both sexes and 

 various ages, — have shown it to two or three sportsmen and a 

 couple of good practical ornithologists, and compared it with 

 the descriptions of at least half a dozen authors, and still I 

 cannot (and I fain would) exalt it above the " common buz- 

 zard.'^'* It, however, seems doomed to misrepresentation. In 

 an amusing little work {^Rambles in Madeira) it is called " a 

 vulture.''' Now this for a desultory " rambler" too ima- 

 ginative to condescend to genera, species, and such like 

 trifles, is not too much amiss, but surely his " scientific 



NEW SERIES, VOL. II. NO I. JAN. 1830. K 



