152 Mr. J. H. Gurney's Notes on 



and I therefore need not allude further to this stage in either 

 species, except to mention that the last number of the late 

 Mr. GouhVs work on the Birds of Asia contains life-sized 

 figures of both sexes of E. amurensis in adult dress. 



Mr. Sharpe describes the first plumage of E. amurensis 

 under the head of " young." A nestling emerging from the 

 down into this dress, which was taken in the month of July, 

 and is preserved in the Norwich Museum, was figured in 

 ' The Ibis ' for 1868, pi. 2. 



On losing this plumage the young birds assume a dress 

 assimilating even more closely to that of the adult female 

 than is the case in E. vespertinus, the only difference being, 

 so far as I have observed, that in this second stage the shape 

 of the dark markings on the sides of the abdomen partake 

 less of the character of transverse bars and more of that of 

 broadened lanceolate shaft-marks than is the case in fully 

 adult females. I entertain no doubt that both sexes pass 

 through this intermediate stage, though I have no absolute 

 proof of it as regards the females ; with respect to the males 

 I can speak with some confidence, as the Norwich Museum 

 possesses two that were changing from this stage into that 

 of the adult male plumage. 



The remainder of the Falcons are arranged by Mr. 

 Sharpe under two genera — Falco and Hierofalco ; but it 

 seems to me that they may be more naturally assorted into 

 the following generic or subgeneric groups, viz. Hypotriorchis, 

 u3Lsalon, Chicquera, Falco, Gennaia, and Hierofalco. 



With respect to the typical species of Hypotriorchis, 

 H. subbuteo, I can add nothing to Mr. Sharpens account, 

 except to refer to its occurrence in Japan, as recorded in 

 ' The Ibis ' for 1879, p. 42 ; but I may mention as regards 

 its near ally, H. cuvieri, that this very scarce southern 

 Hobby, besides occurring in South and West Africa, as 

 stated by Mr. Sharpe, has also been obtained in East Africa. 

 Capt. Shelley has received it from the Zambesi country, and, 

 still further northward, from Lambo near Formosa Bay. On 

 the west coast it has occurred as far north as Bissao, a speci- 

 men from thence being preserved in the Norwich Museum. 



