266 Mr. R, Swinhoe on Chinese Ornithology. 



Outside Tangier flocks of them may be seen feeding on the 

 refuse which is carried from the town and thrown down on 

 the sea-shore. Exceedingly tame to the natives, being viewed 

 with superstitious awe by the Moors, they are wide awake 

 to the European, especially if he carries a gun ; and I found 

 great difficulty in shooting them, except at the nest, which, 

 constructed of sticks, neatly lined with grass and small roots, 

 is built in clefts of rocks, on trees and low bushes. One nest 

 which I saw was fixed in the crook or angle formed by a dead 

 flowering stalk of the aloe, which had fallen across another 

 stalk in full flower. The eggs, usually laid about the 20th of 

 April, vary in number from five to seven, and, like those of 

 others of the Crow tribe, differ much in the markings. 



The following are the measiirements of five specimens of 

 C. tingitanus, shot near Tangier, compared with one specimen 

 of C. corax, shot near Tarifa, on the Spanish side of the 

 Straits : — 



\,$. 2, <?. 3, <?. 4,?. 5,?. C.corax^. 



Total length .... 18 18^ 19^ 18^ 20 24^ 



Wing 14i 16i 1.3| 14 15 19§ 



Tail 7i 8 8 7f 9 10 



Beak 2| 2| 2^ 2^ 21 3 



Tarsus 2| 2f 2^ 2| 2^ 2| 



.XXXI. — Notes on Chinese Ornithology. By R. Swinhoe. 



(Plate X.) 



In the last number of 'The Ibis^ for 1873 was published a 

 letter from myself at Shanghai, in which I stated that I had 

 procured in the market a Circus cineraceus in immature plu- 

 mage. On my return to England I reexamined this Hawk, 

 and made it out to be, with Mr. R. B. Sharpens assistance, 

 the immatm'e of 



Circus melanoleucus (Gm.), 

 and wrote to the Editor of ' The Ibis,^ correcting my mis- 

 take (Ibis, 1873, p. 364) . Mr. Gurney agrees in my pre- 

 sent identification ; and with the Editor's kind permission, 



