62. GTPOICTINIA, 335 



62. GYPOICTINIA. rj,^^^ 



Gypoictinia, Kaiip, Contr. Orn. 1850, p. Gl G. melanosterna. 



Tarsus of G. 7nelanosterna, from a sketch by Dr. Dubois. 

 Range. Southern and Western Australia. 



1. Gypoictinia melanosterna. 



Buteo melanostemon, Gould, P. Z. S. 1840, p. 162; id. B. of Austr. 



i. pi. 20 (1848) ; Grm/, Gen. B. i. p. 12 (1849) ; Strickl. Orn. Syn. 



p. 34 (1855) ; Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 7 (1869) ; Diggles, Orn. Austr. 



pt. 21 (1870). 

 Gypoictinia melanostemon, Kaup, Co?itr. Orn. 1850, p. 61 ; Bp, Consp. 



i. p. 19 (1850) ; Goidd, Handh. B. Austr. i. p. 47 (1865). 

 Gypoictinia leucosternon, Kaup, Arch.f. Naturg. 1850, p. 33. 



Male. Above blackish, browner on the scapulars, lower back, and 

 rump, the latter parts washed with rufous, some of the feathers 

 lighter-edged ; smaller wing-coverts ashy grey, each feather blackish 

 in the centre, the rest of the wing-coverts black, the inner ones 

 washed with rufous ; quills black, the secondaries ashy grey towards 

 their tips, primaries externally ashy white at base, the outer ones 

 shaded with grey ; primaries underneath white at base, black towards 

 the tip, the secondaries gTcyish below ; upper tail-coverts black, 

 outer ones washed with rafous ; tail ashy grey above, paler below, 

 and inclining to white near the base ; head crested, the fore part of 

 crown black, the hinder part and the nape, as well as the sides of 

 the neck, tawny rufous, some of the feathers black in the centre, 

 producing a striped appearance ; cheeks, ear-coverts, and entire 

 under surface black, some of the flanks and abdominal feathers in- 

 clining to ashy ; thighs and under tad-coverts rufous, with black 

 shaft-lines ; under wing-coverts blackish, the small ones varied with 

 white, and some washed with rufous. Total length 24 inches, cul- 

 men 2*45, wing 19, tail 8'5, tarsus 2-65, middle toe 1-95. (^Mus. 

 Lugd.) 



