Mr. P. L. Sclater on an undescribed Species of Hawk. 275 



never proved good. My original hen bird had been kept twenty 

 years in confinement before I had her ; the male bird was said 

 to be only a year old when it came to me. The only nest made 

 by the old Owls is a shallow hole scratched in the earth at the 

 bottom of the cage. I have introduced a lining of short straw 

 into the hole after the first egg is laid. The earth is scratched 

 away from the hole by both birds ; but the cock commences the 

 operation, and performs the greater part of it. The period of 

 incubation is thirty days, and one week usually elapses in addi- 

 tion between hatching the first egg and the last. The Owls are 

 kept in a cage about eight feet square and about the same 

 in height, and are fed on rats, rabbits, and birds. 

 Easton, Norfolk, May 7th, 1859. 



XXVIII. — Characters of an undescribed Species of Hawk from 

 New Caledonia. By Philip Lutley Sclater. 

 (Plate VIII.) 

 Mr. Gurney has kindly entrusted to me for examination some 

 specimens of Rapacious Birds which he has lately acquired 

 from New Caledonia. Amongst them is an example of a species 

 of Hawk apparently hitherto unnoticed, and which I have little 

 hesitation in considering as new. Its simple style of colora- 

 tion has induced me to propose to call it 



AcciPiTER HAPLOCHROus. (Plate VIII.) 

 Saturate schistaceus, capite et dorso medio nigricantioribus : 

 nuchse plumis intus albis : rectricum pogoniis internis pal- 

 lide schistaceis, vittis numerosis nigricantibus subobsolete 

 transfasciatis : abdomine toto a pectore medio cum crisso, 

 tibiis et alarum tectricibus inferioribus albis : pectore medio 

 et remiguni pogoniis internis subtiis albis, nigro trans- 

 versim lineatis : rostro plumbescenti-nigro ; pedibus au- 

 rantiis, unguibus nigris : long, tota 14*5, alse 9"3, caudae 

 66, tarsi 2*6. 



Hab. in ins. Nova Caledonia. 



The single specimen of this bird sent is labelled as a female. 

 It was killed on the island " Nu," Port de France, New Cale- 

 donia, in April 1858, and appears to have been prepared by Mr. 

 John Macgillivray. 



The nearest ally of this fine species that I am acquainted with 



