498 Messrs. E. L. & E. L. C. Layard on the 



somewhere in the forest not far off. They kill his young 

 turkeys and fowls whenever they have the chance, but take 

 good care not to give him the chance of retaliating ! 



The irides of this fine Hawk are yellow and of extreme 

 brilliancy ; the bill bluish grey ; legs and claws dull grey- 

 white, very rugose. It has a poAverful sailing flight, not 

 unlike that of our large Harrier, from which, however, it can 

 be distinguished in a moment by its more rounded wings and 

 lighter-coloured back. 



3. Haliastur sphenurus (Vieill.). 



The Wedge-tailed Fish-Hawk may always be discriminated 

 from the preceding, on the wing, by the shape of its tail. It is 

 equally distributed with it, preys on the same food, and pro- 

 bably breeds in the same places, and at the same time, as we 

 shot a fully fledged nestling on the 10th October 1880. 



L. L. has shot several on the sandy islands off Ansevata, 

 near Noumea, and found that, if only wounded, they gave 

 him a good chase by their powerful swimming. One fair 

 average bird gave the following measurements : — Length 

 21" 6"', wing 15" 3'", tail 11" 3'", tarse 2" &". Bill bluish 

 horn ; legs and feet ashy white ; iris dark hazel. 



For a bird of prey it is not at all uncommon (we always 

 make a difference in our estimate of the plentifulness or 

 otherwise between birds of prey and other families), and is 

 very generally distributed all along the coast, extending 

 sometimes also a little inland. 



4. Urospizias haplochroa (Sclater). 



The " White-bellied " Hawk is pretty generally distributed 

 all over the island, but is very difficult to obtain, especially 

 in the adult plumage, being exceptionally shy and wary. It 

 feeds on lizards, mice, locusts, Cicadse, and such like, and is 

 accused, in common with the next species, of not being able 

 to refuse the temptation of a chicken if opportunity offers. 

 We have, however, never found any thing but the food before 

 mentioned in those we have examined. We give the dimen- 

 sions of an adult pair. December 15th, 1880, (^ , Jahoue, 

 length 17", tail 6" 6"', wing 9", tarse 2" 3"'; bill Paine's grey 



