the Tram-Vaal Teiritory. 289 



cere red ; tarsi and feet bright brick-red. Male and female im- 

 mature. Iris yellow. 



[As the dimensions of this species are said to vary in different 

 parts of Africa (Ibis, 1861, p. 74, and 1868, p. 145), I annex 

 the principal measurements of a pair obtained by Mr. Ayres in 

 the Trans- Vaal : — 



The smaller Northern race, M. niloticus (Sundevall, CEfvers. K. 

 Vet.-Ak. Forhandl. 1850, p. 132), may, I think, be accepted as 

 specifically distinct. — J. H. G.] 



9. (L. 46.) Melierax musicus (Daud.). Chanting Hawk. 

 Obtained in the bush-country on the banks of the Limpopo 



river, where it is the most numerous species of any of the diurnal 

 birds of prey, except the Vultures. 



Immature male : — Iris yellow, bill black at the tip, base and 

 cere yellow, tarsi and feet red. 



10. (L. 59.) Bubo MAcuLOsus (Vieill.). Spotted Eagle-Owi. 

 The only nest I ever found of this fine Owl was placed in a 



nook on the face of a precipitous rock, and contained one young 

 bird not long hatched, which was of a creamy, tawny-white 

 colour, and one egg cracked and addled, the shell of which I 

 send ; this I took in the month of October whilst on an explor- 

 ing expedition to some very curious limestone-caves of great 

 extent, some of the galleries of which are exceedingly beautiful 

 by torchlight, stalactites of all imaginable shapes hanging in 

 every direction. 



11. (L. 68.) Caprimulgus rufigena, A. Smith. Rufous- 

 cheeked Goatsucker. 



One day in October, whilst walking with my gun amongst 

 some rocky ground, the bird which I now send rose close to my 

 feet, and I shot it ; on examining the spot whence it rose I 



