ACCIPITRES, d 



catching them in his talons before they reached the ground, then 

 mounting high in the air again to renew the feat. Ultimately losing 

 one of the mice, he discontinued his play, and, returning to the tree, 



killed and devoured the remaining one 



" The ordinary flight of this Hawk is direct and rapid ; but it 

 may sometimes be seen soaring high in the air, Avith the wings 

 almost motionless and the tail spread into a broad fan. On the 

 wing it often utters a prolonged petulant scream. This is the signal 

 for a general outcry among the small birds within hearing ; and the 

 Tui and Korimako will often rise in large flights and follow him into 

 the air. But the little Hawk, heeding not their menaces, pursues 

 his course, and the excitement among the feathered fraternity gra- 

 dually subsides till all is quiet again. The appearance of an Owl in 

 the daytime produces a similar commotion among the small birds of 

 the forest ; and I have often been guided to the hiding-place of the 

 unfortunate ' Morepork ' by the clamour of the persecuting mob." 



BULLER. 



3. Circus gouldi. Bonap. 



Haeeiee. Kahu. 



Above, brown, varied with rufous ; over the tail, white with a rufous bar near the tip of 

 each feather ; tail, silver-grey with brown bars ; under-parts, rufous-white, with reddish- 

 brown stripes on the breast. Cere, bluisli ; irides, yellow. 



Young. — Dark browu above, varied with white on the back of the neck ; below reddish- 

 brown ; thighs, rufous ; cere, yellow ; irides, hazel. 



An albino variety from E-iwaka is in the Nelson Museum. 



Male.—L., 21 ; W., 16 ; B., 12 ; T., 3-4. 



Female.— h., 23 ; W., 17 ; B., 1-3 ; T., 3-7. 



Egg. — Oval ; white ; length 1'9, and breadth 1'5 inch. 



Sab. — Both Islands ; Chatham Islands, Australia, Tasmania, Fiji, Celebes. 



" The present species is spread over a wide geographical area ; for 

 not only is it found in all parts of our own country, but it also 

 occurs in Australia and Tasmania, extending to the eastward to the 

 Fiji Islands, and ranging northwards into the Malay archipelago as 

 far as Celebes. 



" It is a very common bird in New Zealand, being met with on 

 the fern-covered hills, in the plains, among the marshes of the low- 

 country, and even along the open sea-beach, where it feeds on carrion. 

 It is seldom, however, found in the dense bush, although I once 

 surprised one there in the act of picking a large Wood-Pigeon. 



" Like all the other members of the genus, it hunts on the wing, 

 performing wide circles at a low elevation from the ground, and 

 sailing over meadows, fern-land, or marshes in quest of lizards, mice, 

 and other small game. Its flight is slow, but vigorous and well 

 sustained. The small size and speciflc gravity of its body, as com- 

 pared with the great development of wings and tail and corresponding 



