76 Notes on Mr. R. B. Sharpens Catalogue of Accipitres. 



and that the scapulars are crossed with concealed transverse 

 bars of white and pale grey, some of which are also slightly- 

 tinged with rufous. 



The following are the comparative dimensions of the six 

 specimens above described : — 



Wing from Culmen Middle 



carpal joint. Tail. Tarsus. from cere. toe, s. u. 



No. 1 16-7 6-8 3-4 11 1-75 



No. 2 16-5 6-9 3-5 1-1 1-7 



No. 3 lG-8 7-1 36 imperfect. 1-6 



No. 4 ...... 16-8 7-1 3-4 M 17 



No. 5 17-7 7-1 3-4 11 17 



No. 6 16-6 7-1 3-6 M 1-5 



Nos. 1 and 2 have been portrayed in the annexed plate 

 (Plate III.), which will assist the reader in recognizing this 

 interesting Buzzard. 



I believe that the first plumage of Buteo kypospodius is 

 still undescribed, that Nos. 5 and 6 in the above list are in 

 the second plumage, Nos. 2, 3, and 4 in the third plumage, 

 and No. 1 in the fourth. I would further hazard a conjecture 

 that the fourth plumage will prove to be attained by the males 

 only, and that the third plumage will be found, though com- 

 mon to both sexes, to be the final dress of the female. 



The five species to which I have just referred, Buteo erythro- 

 notus, B. exsul, B. poliosomus, B. albicaudatus , and B. hypo- 

 spodius, appear to me to form a natural group, for which the 

 name of Tachytriorchis might, I think, be conveniently re- 

 tained, and legitimately so, as it embraces the species B. al- 

 bicaudatus, which was the only one originally included by 

 Kaup under that subgeneric title. 



Nearly allied to this group, but, I think, not properly to be 

 included in it, is the curious Buteo galapagensis, for the re- 

 ception of which Mr. Gould instituted his subgenus Craxirex. 



I have nothing to add to Mr. Sharpens account of this 

 species, except to remark that the sexes differ in size only, 

 and not in coloration, that being a point to which Mr. Sharpe 

 does not in this instance refer. 



[To be continued.] 



