RAPTORES. 35 



mandible dark brown ; chin, all the under surface, and a broad 

 band which nearly encircles the neck pale bufFy w^iite, with a 

 fine line of dark brown down the centre ; thighs deep rust- 

 red, each feather with a line of black down the centre and 

 tipped with buffy white ; irides reddish brown ; eyelid straw - 

 yellow ; orbits bluish fiesh-colour ; bill bluish lead-colour, 

 becoming black at the tip ; cere pale yellow ; legs and feet 

 light ashy grey, excepting the scales in front of the tarsi, which 

 are dull yellowish white. 



Genus TINNUNCULUS. 

 Sp. 13. TINNUNCULUS CENCHROIDES. 



Nankeen Kestrel. 



Fulco Cencro'ides, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. j), 183. 

 Cerchneis immaculaius, Erehni, Isis. 

 Nankeen Hawk of the Colonists. 



Tinnunculus Cenchroides, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. i. 

 pi. 13. 



Ornithologists will not fail to observe how beautifully the 

 present bird represents in Australia the well-known Kestrel 

 of the British Islands, which it closely resembles in many of 

 its actions and in much of its economy ; it flies over the whole 

 of the southern parts of Australia, and that it extends far 

 towards the northern portion of the country is proved by 

 Gilbert having found it, as well as its eggs, during Leichardt's 

 expedition from More ton Bay to Port Essington. 



Mr. Caley states that it is a migratory species, but I am 

 inclined to differ from this opinion ; his specimens were pro- 

 cured in New South Wales in May and June, while mine were 

 obtained at the opposite season of December, when it was 

 breeding in many of the large gum-trees on the rivers Mokai 

 and Namoi ; probably some districts are deserted for a short 

 time and such others resorted to as may furnish it with a more 



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