38 1 Letters, Announcements , <SfC. 



It has subsequently been applied, but incorrectly, as it seems 

 to me, to some other allied species, including the Hawk of 

 the Fiji Islands {Astur rufitorques of Peale). 



Mr. Layard, following Drs. Fiusch and Hartlaub, has re- 

 ferred to this species under the name of A. cruentus in his 

 interesting papers on the birds of the Fiji Islands [nntea, 

 p. 144, and P. Z. S. 1875, p. 424) ; and 1 am therefore de- 

 sirous of pointing out that Astur rufitorques is treated as a 

 separate and distinct species by Mr. Sharpe in his recent 

 work on the Diurnal Birds of Prey — in which, as it seems 

 to me, he is undoubtedly correct ; the descriptions of the two 

 species given by Mr. Sharpe will suffice to show the differ- 

 ences between them ; and I therefore need not here mention 

 these in detail. 



I desire, however, also to allude to the Harrier of the Fiji 

 Islands {Circus approximans of Peale), which is referred to 

 by Mr. Layard (again following the nomenclature of the 

 Bremen ornithologists) as Circus assimills (vide P. Z. S. 1875, 

 p. 424). 



I have only seen one example of the Fijian Harrier, an 

 immature male, collected by Mr. Layard, and in the posses- 

 sion of Lord Walden, who kindly permitted me to examine it. 

 This Harrier is not a specimen of the true Circus assimilis 

 [C.jardinii of Gould), but resembles the immature plumage of 

 Circus ivolfi, and also that of Circus gouldi, with which latter 

 Mr. Sharpe identifies Circus approximans. Whether the 

 Fijian Harrier is really referable to C. loolfi or to C. youldi, 

 or is distinct from both, is a point which cannot be settled 

 with certainty until an adult male is procured and carefully 



examined. 



I am yours &c., 



J. H. GURNEY. 



P.S. Lord "VValden's Fijian Harrier appears, by the ticket 

 attached to it, to have had in its stomach lizards and shrimps, 

 the latter a remarkable diet for a bird of this genus. 



Sir, — A couple of examples of the rare Tern, Sterna albi- 

 gena, Riipp., shot on the Bombay coast near Hurnee (?) on 



