from the colony of Natal in South-eastern Africa. 241 



ground generally within a radius of fifty or sixty yards, some- 

 times running on the ground a considerable distance with great 

 swiftness. They roost at night for a length of time on the same 

 tree, taking the same route each evening ; they also hunt over 

 a piece of ground, flying a short distance, then hovering, then 

 flying a short distance again. Iris dark brown in adult, lighter 

 in immature specimens. 



20. AsTUR MELANOLEUCus (Smith). Black and White Gos- 

 hawk. 



Rather rare, A very bold bird when pursuing its prey. It 

 has frequently chased our pigeons under the verandah of our 

 house. When this hawk appears, the pigeons seem perfectly 

 aware of their danger; they fly from home, taking a large 

 circuit and ascending as quickly as they can till nearly out of 

 sight. The hawk follows them, and, having much greater power 

 of endurance, gradually gains the ascendency, when its tactics 

 are immediately changed. It still pursues them, but, as they 

 wheel round, cuts off" the angles and so gains on its prey, which 

 it otherwise would not do. The pigeon is certain to be caught 

 unless it flies straight home or into some thick bush, when the 

 hawk will not follow. 



Though exceedingly shy, these birds fear neither guns nor 

 shouting when pursuing their prey, and even when struck with 

 shot, if not severely wounded, still continue the chase. They 

 always catch their prey on the wing. Iris light yellow. 



21. AcciPiTER TACHiRO (Daud.). Tachiro Hawk. 



Iris dark greenish-brown ; cere dark green ; bill black, but 

 blue at the base ; legs yellow, but with a dark tinge on the 

 upper part of the tarsi. This hawk lives entirely in the bush, 

 especially frequenting the neighbourhood of wooded streams, 

 and darts upon its prey (small birds) from the trees above. The 

 stomach of one specimen examined contained the remains of a 

 frog. 



[I may take this opportunity of observing that the geogra- 

 phical range of the Accipiter tachiro does not appear to be 

 exclusively limited to Africa, as I obtained an adult male speci- 



