324 FALCONID^. 



e. Ad. sk. N.E. Australia. Sir T. Mitchell [P.]. 



/, (J. Ad. sk. N.W. Australia. J. E. Elsey, Esq. [P.]. 



\ i. Ad. sk. Interior of S. Australia. Capt. Sturt [C.]. 



h. Juv. sk. Interior of S. Australia. Capt. Sturt [0.]. 



I. 2 juv. sk. Macassar, Celebes. A. R.Wallace, Esq. [C. 



m. $ ad. sk. E. Timor. A. R. Wallace, Esq. [C. 



5. Milvus melanotis. 



Milvus melanotis, Tetmn. et Sold. Faun. Jop. Aves, p. 14, pis. 5, 5b 



(P 1845) ; Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 24 (1845) ; Blanf. J. A. S. B. 1872, 



p. 153. 

 Milvus niger, var. melanotis, Schrenk, Rets. Annirl, Vog. p. 234 



(1860). 

 Milvus niger, Radcle, Reis. Sibir., Tog. p. 135, Taf. 1. fig. 1 (1863); 



Homeij. J.f. O. 1868, p. 252. 

 Milvus major, Hume, Rough Notes, ii. p. 326 (1870) ; Jerd. Ibis, 1871, 



p. 342 ; Himie, Sir. F. i. p. 160 (1873). 

 Milvus govinda, Swmh. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 341 ; Schl. Mus. P.-B. Revue 



Accipitr. p. 126 (1873). 



Adult male. Above dark chocolate-brown, with a slight purplish 

 reflection, the head and neck inclining to rufous, and distinctly 

 streaked down the centre with black ; the wing-coverts a little paler 

 brown, especially the median ones, the lesser series strongly washed 

 with rufous, all with distinct black shaft-stripes ; greater coverts 

 and quills dark brown, the secondaries paler brown, the primaries 

 blackish, all the quills very distinctly white at the base of the inner 

 web, which is sometimes slightly mottled with brown ; tail rather 

 pale brown, darker on the outer web of the external feathers, the 

 centre feathers with a slight rufous tinge, and distinctly barred 

 with darker brown, these bars distinct on the inner web only of the 

 other feathers ; under surface of the tail whitish or brownish ashy, 

 the bars more or less distinct ; lores, forehead, and cheeks white, 

 with narrow little black shaft-lines ; ear-coverts dark brown, 

 shading into black on their upper margin ; throat white, tinged 

 with rufous on the lower part, with distinct shaft-lines of dark 

 brown ; rest of under surface deep rufous ' brown, shading into 

 clear rufous on the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; chest a little 

 darker, with broad central black streaks, on each side of which 

 the feather is a little clearer rufous, giving rather a distinct striped 

 appearance ; under wing- coverts dark brown, washed with rufous, 

 the lower ones ashy brown, notched or barred with white on the 

 inner web ; cere pale greenish yellow ; bill horn-black ; feet dull 

 yellow, toes mingled dingy greenish and yellow ; iris reddish 

 brown. Total length 25'5 inches, culmen 2, wing 21, tail 13-2, 

 tarsus 2-5. 



Young. Dark brown, the scapulars and inner secondaries shading 

 into ochraceous brown and buff at their tips ; the head, neck, and 

 wing-coverts thickly tipped with white ; tail not very distinctly 

 barred above or below ; throat dull ochre ; breast very dark brown, 

 with very broad central streaks of cream-colour, slightly washed 

 with rufous, the abdomen and under tail- coverts ochraceous buif ; 



