98 Viscount Walden and Mr. Layard un 



the form of a ring. Axis 9'", diam. 6'"; but they vary in shape, 

 some being longer and narrower. 



On the 2nd February an excursion was made to the Island of 

 GuimaraSj situated in the channel which separates Panay from 

 Negros. Besides two large Hornbills. twelve examples of a 

 large fruit-eating Pigeon, apparently an undescribed species, 

 lanthcenas griseogularis, nob., were obtained. 



The tameness of some of the Falconidas is illustrated in the 

 following passage : — " We are awfully bothered with locusts ; 

 but it is a curious sight, the men all assembled and beating old 

 tins to drive them away, the great red-backed Kites {Haliastur 

 indus?) swooping down and catching them in their feet and eating 

 them in the air, and lots of smaller Hawks, Flycatchers, and 

 Swallows harrying the swarm ; and then the sound of their 

 rushing wings !! '' " There is one fine Hawk about the size of 

 Circus maurus, white breast, black head and throat, and white 

 wings tipped with black [Circus melanoleucus'i), and another 

 beautiful little Hawk very much like the one we shot with 

 Capt. B. on the Flats near the windmills (this was Hypotriorchis 

 subbuteo). He sat in a tree eating his locust, and would not 

 fly, though I twice struck the branch beneath him with a stone. 

 I have not yet got my gun out of the clutches of the Spanish 

 Custom-House, or he would have come to grief." (This is 

 probably Falco severus.) 



The want of his gun prevented Mr. L. Layard obtaining 

 many of the birds observed. The Spanish Customs' authorities 

 detained his gun (a double-barrel 12-bore Westley Richards) for 

 many months on the plea that it was a " pea''-rifle ! It appears 

 it is necessary to get a license from the Spanish authoi'ities to 

 live in the islands, and another to possess and use a gun. 



" Last week coming out of the ' camarine,^ I saw a fine 

 Eagle hovering just over my head, and its mate higher up. 

 How I longed for my gun ! It was a whity brown, with a 

 large white tail, and as big as any of our Cape Eagles. It is 

 evidently a rare species, as ¥ have only seen these two. One 

 was shot by a Middy some months ago, and the foot is still here ; 

 it is large." He saw the species again, "sailing along the 

 coast, and nearly got a shot at one " ( Cuncuma leucogaster ?) . 



