M)\ R. B. S/iarpe's Catalogue of Accipitres. 229 



specimen in the Norwich Museum^ where there are three ex- 

 amples from the Island of Reunion, but all in brown plumage. 

 The Leyden Museum possesses four specimens from the same 

 island, one of which is in the black-and-white plumage ; and 

 from this specimen and a brown one, also at Leyden, Mr. 

 Sharpens descriptions of this species are taken. The Norwich 

 Museum also possesses two black-and-white Harriers from 

 Joanna Island, in the Comoro group, which were referred to 

 in ' The Ibis ' for 1864 (p. .298) and for 1869 (p. 450) as adult 

 males of Circus inaillardi. There are, however, some slight 

 difterences between these two specimens and those in similar 

 plumage from Reunion which it may be desirable to note. 

 First, as regards measurements, Mr. Sharpe gives the length 

 of the wing in the Leyden specimen as 14" 1 inches, and the 

 tarsus as 3"35. In one of the Joanna specimens at Norwich 

 the tarsus measures 3'62, in the other 3"56 ; and in both the 

 wing measures 17' 12 along the curve, or 16"8 as measured by 

 Mr. Sharpe, without allowing for the bend of the wing. 

 Secondly, with regard to colouring, Mr. Sharpe describes the 

 upper tail-coverts in the Leyden specimen as '' wliite,^^ and 

 the tail as " silvery ash-colour with remains of a black sub- 

 terminal band, and a few spots of the same on the outer 

 feathers.^^ M. Verreaux, in his description of the type spe- 

 cimen at Paris (as given in 'The Ibis^ for 1863, p. 163), 

 speaks of the colour of the lail in the following terms : — 

 " gris clair argentc en dessus, avec quelques restes de bandes 

 transversales sur la rectrice la plus externe." M. Verreaux 

 does not notice the colour of the tail-coverts ; but the omission 

 is supplied by Dr. Oustalet as follows : — " Couvertures infe- 

 rieures de la queue blanches, couvertures superieures blanches 

 avec quelques stries brunatres vers le bout des barbes.^^ Of 



from Reunion, three of which (including a nestling) are in brown plu- 

 mage, and the fourth apparently in a state of change from that dress to 

 the black-and-white stage with the grey tail which characterizes the ty- 

 pical example. 



I am indebted for my information as to these specimens to the kind- 

 ness of Dr. E. Oustalet, of the Paris Museum, who has been so good as to 

 send a description of each to Mr. Shai"pe for my use. 



SEK. III. VOL. v. R 



