Mr. R. B. Sharpe's Catalogue 0/ Accipitres. 335 



These differences do not appear to me to be entirely con- 

 stant ; and there is still more variation as regards the external 

 wing-patchj with reference to which Mr. Sharpe remarks, in 

 his description of E. leucurus, " least and median wing- 

 coverts black, but not forming so large a black shoulder as 

 in the other species/^ 



Mr, Dresser, in his article on E. caruleus in the ' Birds of 

 Europe/ makes some remarks on the other species of the 

 genus, and with reference to the two now under consideration 

 agrees with Mr. Sharpens view as regards the black patch on 

 the under wing-coverts, and also adds, " judging from my 

 specimens, E. leucurus has a somewhat longer tail ;" this last 

 characteristic, I find, holds good, on an average, of the indi- 

 viduals of the two races which I have examined. 



The following measurements, in inches and tenths, have 

 been taken by myself, and may, perhaps, be here inserted 

 with advantage ; but I ought to add that in four of the speci- 

 mens of E. leucurus included in the list I was unable to 

 measure the length of the inner wing-patch, on account of 

 the birds being mounted'^. 



Outer Inner 

 wing- wing- 

 Tail. Wing. Tarsus. patch. patch. 

 Elanus axillaris. 



From Java (Norwich I g.g j^^-y 1-4 5-2 2-3 



Museum) 1 



, , -. ' . (5-7 11-5 1-2 2-9 1-3 



Australia (ten speci- \ ^^ ^^ ^^ to to 



Aliens). jg.g ;^2-3 1-5 50 2-3 



Elanus leucurus. 



,6-4 12-2 1-3 3-6 1-7 



California (seven spe- J to to to to to 



cimens. 17-3 13-3 1-5 55 2-9 



^T • /. • (0-9 12-2 1-4 4-7 1 



Mexico (two speci- ) ^ ^ ^ & I 1-7 



mens). \^.^ 12-7 1-3 5-0 1 



G-7) (5-4 2-1 



Venezuela (two males). < & > 12'5 1-3 { Sc & 



'e-ei 5-2 2-0 



* The specimens examined are preserved in the British, Cambridge, 

 and Norwich Museums, and in the collections of Messrs. Salvin and 

 Godman, and of Mr. Dresser. 



