IIAPTORES. 57 



tion of its food. Any information on this head that may have 

 been ascertained by residents in Australia would, if made 

 known, be of the highest interest to ornithologists, as an ad- 

 dition to the history of this singular form among the Falco- 

 nidce. Its extreme rarity, however, will, I fear, tend much to 

 prevent the acquirement of this desirable information. 



I saw it soaring high in the air over the plains in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the Namoi, but never sufficiently near to admit 

 of a successful shot. All the specimens I have seen were col- 

 lected either at Moreton Bay or on the banks of the Clarence. 



As little or no difference exists in the plumage of the speci- 

 mens I have examined, I presume the sexes are very similar. 



The only remark I have to make in addition to the above 

 meagre account is, that I have lately received an egg pro- 

 cured in the brushes of the Clarence, and kindly sent to me 

 by Mr. Allan, which is said to be of this bird. It is of a pure 

 white, about an inch and five-eighths in length and an inch 

 and a quarter in breadth. Without doubting Mr. Allan's in- 

 tention to send me the egg of this species, I think it only 

 right to say that I give the size and colouring on his autho- 

 rity ; unfortunately the letter which accompanied it contained 

 no remark on the subject. 



Crown of the head, sides of the face, ear-coverts, and upper 

 part of the back brownish grey ; occiput and lengthened 

 occipital plumes blackish brown ; back and scapulars brown ; 

 wings uniform dark brownish grey above, beneath silvery 

 grey ; primaries and secondaries crossed by several bands, 

 and largely terminated with black ; rump and upper tail- 

 coverts chocolate-brown ; tail brownish grey above, lighter 

 beneath, crossed by three narrow bands of black near the 

 base, and deeply terminated with the same colour; throat, 

 chest, part of the shoulder, and under tail-coverts greyish 

 white tinged with rufous ; abdomen, flanks, and thighs buffy 

 white, crossed with conspicuous narrow bands of reddish 

 chestnut; bill bluish horn- colour ; tarsi vellowish. 



