Notes on Mr. R. B. Sharpe's Catalogue of Accipitres. 87 



149. Sterna cantiaca^ Gmel. Sandwich Tern. 

 Common about Capetown. It was the largest Tern I saw 



there. 



150. SuLA CAPENSis, Licht. South-African Gannet. 



I frequently saw this bird between the Cape and Port 

 Elizabeth. 



IV. — Notes on a ' Catalogue of the Accipitres in the British 

 Museum/ by R. Bowdler Sharpe (1874) . By J. H. Gurney. 



The following notes on Mr. R. B. Sharpens very excellent 

 and valuable ' Catalogue of the Accipitres or Diurnal Birds of 

 Prey in the collection of the British Museum/ have been put 

 together with two objects : — the first, to supply a few items 

 of additional information respecting some of the species to 

 which Mr, Sharpens work refers ; the other to record some 

 points in regard to which my conclusions differ from those 

 at which Mr. Sharpe has arrived. 



The catalogue itself bears ample testimony not only to the 

 scientific accuracy and laborious research of its author, but 

 also to the great richness of that portion of the national col- 

 lection to illustrate which the volume now under considera- 

 tion has been devoted, though it is to be regretted that up- 

 wards of thirty species, included in the catalogue as forming 

 part of the collection in the British Museum, appear to be 

 only found there in the form of unmounted skins, and are 

 therefore not represented in the ornithological gallery, where 

 the student naturally expects to meet with every species which 

 the museum possesses. 



Mr. Sharpe separates the Griffon Vulture of Spain and 

 Northern Afi'ica as a subspecies under the name " Gyps 

 hispaniolensis ; " but I much doubt if such distinction can be 

 maintained"^. Mr. Sharpe considers that in Spain and Al- 

 geria "the Griffons are smaller and more rufous.^' 



I doubt this supposed difference in size being constant, if 



* If this subspecies be maintained as distinct, I tliink it should bear 

 the specific name of occidetitalis, which Bonaparte, in his ' Conspectus,' 



