Birds of Central Patagonia. 397 



^NoCTUA CUNICULARIA. 



Resident. A few seeu in the valleys of the Sengel and 

 Sengelen. 



^Circus cinereus. 



Resident, but most numerous in the winter. On the 26th 

 October we found many pairs nesting on some low swampy 

 land amongst long grass. The nest is a slight hollow in the 

 ground, lined with a few pieces of grass ; and the complement 

 of eggs two or three ; the latter are of a dirty white colour. 



■^BUTEO ERYTHRONOTUS. 



Resident. On the 15th October I took two eggs from a nest 

 on the hills near the Chupat valley, and shot both old birds, 

 the female from the nest. The male is of a rich slaty grey 

 on the back, whilst the female has some rufous colouring 

 about the back and shoulders. The young of the year, after 

 their first moult, have the head above, shoulders, and back of 

 a rich rufous colour, mottled with darker brown ; the neck 

 above has a broad transverse Avhite band^ the feathers tipped 

 with black; sides of the head, chest, and stomach light 

 fulvous, with darker markings ; throat black, the base of the 

 feathers white ; tail of a rich slaty hue, with transverse bars 

 of black. 



The adult has the upper mandible dark horn-colour, under 

 one slate-colour ; legs and feet pale orange ; iris dark orange. 



In the young of the year the beak and legs are slate-colour, 

 iris light orange. 



The eggs are of a pale bluish white, slightly streaked 

 and speckled with rufous markings, chiefly at the larger end, 

 and measure 2"3x 17 inches. 



I observed this species commonly on the hills throughout 

 our journey. It feeds on mice and small rodents. 



*Geranoaetus melanoleucus. 



Resident, but not common, and never seen far from the 

 sea. On the 30th December, at Tombo Point, I found a nest 

 containing two young birds just about to fly. The nest was 

 high up on a ledge in a deep rocky gully. The young birds 

 in this stage have the head and shoulders dark umber-brown, 



