27. B0TEO. 165 



Key to the Species. 



I. Tail genm-ally uniform, ivith no complete hars across the feathers, except 



the subtenninal one, which is often absent altogether. 



A. Tail rufoms or ashy rufous. 



a. Head and ear-coverts black. 



a'. Underparts uuiform black, or white with black throat. 



augur ad., p. 175. 

 h'. Underparts black, the centre of the breast more or less rufous. 



jackal ad., p. 173. 



b. Head and ear-coverts rufous or rufous buff, often varied with brown 



streaks, more rarely whitish (in B. ferox). 

 c'. Cheeks whitish or rufous white, streaked with dark brown or rufous. 



a". Much larger ; wing in S about 177 inches, in 2 18-4. 



ferox ad., 176. 



b". Smaller ; wing not exceeding 15 inches cksertoitim ad., p. 179. 

 (V. Cheeks black inontanus vix ad., p. 189. 



c. Head and ear-coverts smoky brown. 

 e. Breast whitish. 



c". Thighs white borealis ad., p. 188. 



d". Thighs rufescent montanm ad., p. 189. 



f. Breast and thighs more or less inclining to brown. 



montanus ad., p. 189. 

 g'. Breast and underparts generally smoky brown, tinged with rufous, or 

 rufous streaked and barred with blackish montanus ad., p. 189 



(calurus). 



B. Tail brown. 



d. Under surface imiform smoky black am^mj- juv.(var. melanot.), 



p. 175. 



e. Under surface white, varied with brown streaks. 



plumipes iny. {japonicus), 

 p. 180. 



C. Tail ashy grey mottled ivith black, with a subterminal bar oftlie 



latter colour. 



f. Much larger (length 28 inches) ; below ochre, streaked with black. 



melanohucm juv., p. 168. 



g. Much smaller (length 23 inches); below uniform black. 



harlani ad., p. 191. 



D. Tail black, tipped with white melanoleucus ad., p. 168. 



II. Tail brotcn of some shade or other, varying from light brown to sooty, 

 greyish, or blackish brown, often nearly black, but always with some 

 distinct transverse bars * ; bars on tail were*- exceeding 13, generally 

 less than 11. 



h. Smaller wing-coverts brown or black, never more than slightly margined 

 with rufous or fulvous. 



* B. ferox and B. plumijies have often nearly uniform ashy brown tails, with 

 very few remains of bars ; but the indications of the latter can generaUy be 

 traced by holding the tail towards one away from the light. 



