BROWN OR COIVIMON BUZZARD. 185 



the first quill four inches shorter than the third, which is long- 

 est, but exceeds the fourth only by one-twelfth of an inch, 

 the fifth very little shorter, the second intermediate between 

 the fifth and sixth, the first equal to the eighth. The tail is 

 rather long, broad, and slightly rounded, the middle feathers 

 being about three quarters of an inch shorter than the lateral. 



The bill is black, at the base greyish-blue, its soft margins 

 at the base yellow ; the cere and bare space over the eye 

 greenish-yellow ; the irides brownish-yellow ; the feet bright 

 yellow ; the claws black, tinged with blue at the base. The 

 general colour of the upper parts is umber-brown, glossed with 

 a tinge of purple ; but on the head and hind neck streaked with 

 yellowish- white, the bases and margins of the feathers being of 

 that colour. The feathers of the back and wings with the mar- 

 gins pale, or brownish grey ; they and the scapulars barred with 

 white in their concealed part ; the bases of all being white, 

 which becomes apparent on the hind-neck when they are 

 raised ; the upper tail-coverts are barred with whitish. The 

 primary quills are brownish-black toward the end, the secon- 

 daries brown, a great part of the inner webs toward the base 

 white, barred with brown, the bars more extended on the 

 secondaries. The tail is marked with ten or twelve brown 

 bars, alternating with others of a pale greyish -brown, the tips 

 whitish. The cheeks and sides of the neck are yellowish- 

 white, with brown linear or oblong markings ; the throat, 

 fore-neck, and middle of the breast yellowish-white, with the 

 shafts brown ; the ground colour of the other parts the same, 

 but each feather with an oblong brown longitudinal mark ; 

 the lower tail-coverts barred ; the feathers of the legr tinned 

 with reddish, and barred or patched with brown. The lower 

 wing-coverts yellowish-white, spotted and barred with brown ; 

 and the white of the inner webs of the primaries forming a 

 conspicuous patch. 



Length to end of tail 19^ inches ; extent of wings 49; wing 

 from flexure 16| ; tail 9 ; bill along the ridge H^"^, along the 

 edge of lower mandible l/^ ; tarsus 2{?^ ; hind toe j%, its 

 claw 1 ; second toe 1, its claw ly'g; third toe 1{'|, its claw J§; 

 fourth toe 1, its claw i\. 



