M?\ R. B. Sharpens Catalogue 0/ Accipitres, 485 



has moreover another noticeable feature^ which is likewise 

 common to the genus Pandion, in the rugose under surface 

 of the foot, a provision specially adapted to retain a grasp on 

 the slippery prey which constitutes the sustenance of this 

 fish-eating Buzzard^ as well as of the Osprey. As neither 

 in the case of Buteogallus (equina ctialis nor in that of Busa- 

 rellus nigricollis does Mr. Sharpe give a description of the 

 immature plumage, I supply the following particulars, derived 

 from specimens in the Norwich Museum : — 



Buteogallus iEQuiNOCTiALis, immature, from British 

 Guiana. 



The crown of the head is dark brown, with narrow yellowish 

 white margins to many of the feathers, especially towards the 

 sides of the head, and with an irregular yellowish white supei'- 

 cilium ; the cheeks, ear-coverts, and throat are pale buff, with 

 dark shaft-marks to the feathers ; on the back and sides of 

 the neck similar but broader shaft-marks occupy the greater 

 part of the feather, leaving only a buff edging ; and dark fea- 

 thers of this character form an irregular gorget extending 

 from the sides of the neck across the throat, but not quite 

 meeting in front ; the entire mantle is dark wood -brown, with 

 paler tips to the feathers, these tips being broadest on the 

 wing-coverts, but very narrow elsewhere ; the feathers of the 

 bastard wing, the secondaries, and the tertials are crossed by 

 alternate transverse bars of rufous and dark brown, the rufous 

 being brightest on the inner webs of the tertials ; the upper 

 surface of the tail is crossed by nine narrow dark brown bars, 

 below the last of which, at an interval of about an inch, are 

 two more narrow subterminal bars ; but on the inner web of 



* Col. A. J. Grayson, who obtained this species near the mouth of the 

 Mazatlan nA-er, writes respecting it, " the flight of this Hawk seems 

 rather heavy, resembling somewhat the common Fish-Hawk, the wings 

 appearing very broad, .and the tail remarkably short. Upon examining the 

 contents of the stomach I found only the remains of fish, one of which had 

 been but freshly devoured j it was a species of perch found in the lagoons 

 and rivers of this region." ( Vide Mem. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 1874, 

 p. 302 ; also Ridgway's ' Studies of American Falcouidfe,' p. 144.) [See 

 also our note on the food of this species (Ibis, 1859, p. 216). — Ed.] 



;iL2 



