Ob LT. C. G. FIXCH-DAVlEs ON THE 



38. Micronisns gabar — Gabar Goshawk. 

 Micronisus nioer — Black Gabar Goshawk. I 



o 



think that there can be no doubt that the Bhick Gabar is 

 only a inehmistic form of the common jiabar, which has h)no: 

 been suspected \)y naturalists. Both forms are not un- 

 common about here, and I have secured several specimens of 

 each. The following observations may be of some help in 

 elucidating the matter. At Usakos I observed a pair of 

 these birds, which frequented the vicinity of the cam[». The 

 male was a normal grey bird, and the female was of the 

 black variety. At Okanjande I met with another pair and 

 secured the female which was also black, the male being- 

 grey. It has been said that no young specimen of the blnck 

 form has been found showing the change into the black 

 })lumage, but T am of the opinion that if it is a true melanism 

 the bird would be black from the time it puts on feathers. A 

 female specimen of the black form was shot by me here ; it 

 was of a brownish-black colour, and had two feathers on the 

 under parts which resembled the same feathers in a normal 

 young bird. The final proof, however, will be in the finding 

 of a nest and young. 



39. (yircaetus cinereus — Brown Harrier Eaole. I 

 have seen sevei-al specimens of this eagle, generally perched 

 on the summit of some lofty camel-thorn tree ; they are 

 rather wild and I have failed to secure a specimen. 



40. Spizaetus bellicosus — Martial Hawk Eagle. I 

 have seen several specimens of this fine eagle from time to 

 time, all young birds with the excef)tion of one adult. I once 

 saw one make a stoo[) like a falcon at a sandgrouse I put up, 

 but the eagle failed to secure it. 



41. llieraetus pennatus — Booted Eagle. While 

 campiMl one (hiy near a big dam of water I saw a fine speci- 

 men, chasino: the doves which came to drink ; it was not wild 

 and 1 had a good view of it for a long time, it was in the 

 dark-breasted young plumage. 



