Dr. P. L. Sclater on Falco circuincinctus. 23 



than in that species. It will probably be considered worthy of 

 separation as a subgenus. I found it frequenting long grass 

 in islands on the Bui-rampootra river, in Upper Burmah. It had 

 partaken of ants and small Coleoptera. 



VI. — Note on Falco circumcinctus, a rare Bird of Prey from 

 South America. By Philip Lutley Sclater. 



(Plate II.) 



At a meeting of the Zoological Society in February 1851, Pro- 

 fessor Kaup described as new a small species of Falcon from a 

 single specimen then in the late Earl of Derby's collection at 

 Knowsley, and referred it to the genus Harpagus, under the title 

 Harpagus circumcinctus, at the same time proposing for it the 

 new subgeneric appellation " Spiziapteryx *." 



" One of the most interesting birds," says Dr. Kaup, " in the 

 collection of Lord Derby is a little Falcon, belonging to the 

 subfamily Falconince, which enables me to correct the characters 

 of the genus Harpagus. 



" The characters must be changed as follows : — Bill large, 

 with two teeth, slender and indistinct, or strong and distinct ; 

 wings short, and in the proportions of the quills very like Nisus 

 seu Accipiter ; toes short, and the inner and outer toes of the 

 same length. 



" The genus Harpagus must be divided into two subgenera. 

 " The oldest subgenus [Harpagus) must be distinguished by 

 the following characters : — Two strong and distinct teeth ; the 

 nostrils placed near the end of a soft membrane covering a large 

 cavity ; tibiae with scales not divided. 



" Two species, H. diodon and H. bidentatus. 

 " The other subgenus, in which this new species must be placed, 

 must be characterized : — Two slender indistinct teeth ; the nos- 

 trils round, very small, and bored in the nasal bones ; the first 

 wing-feathers with very distinct emarginations, the fourth the 

 longest ', tibise with whole and divided scales. 



" I give this subgenus the name of Spiziapteryx, and the spe- 

 cies I have named 



* See Proc. Zool. Soc. 1851, p. 42. 



