1917-] Birds from British East Africa. 409 



Melierax gabar. 



Falco gabar Daud. Traite, ii. 1800, p. 87 [Swartkop River, 

 Cape Colonj'']. 



Melierax gabar C. Grant, Ibis, 1915, p. 240. 



? . Tsavo Swamp. 6th August. Wing 175 mm. 



?. Tsavo River. 11th August. „ 217 ram. 



? . Tsavo. 17th August. „ 194 mm. 



Iris and cere yellow ; bill black ; legs orange. 



This Hawk was very common on the Tsavo, and nearly 

 always met with in pairs. 



I saw a black-looking Hawk on August 11 passing through 

 the tops of the trees along the Tsavo, and was fortunate in 

 securing it by a long shot ; it proved to be the black form 

 of this species. I saw no others. 



Melierax canorus poliopterus. 



Melierax poliopterus Cabanis, J. f. O. 1868, p. 413 [Umba 

 River, G. E. Afr.]. 



Melierax canorus poliopterus Erlanger, J. f. O. 1904, 

 p. 163. 



S ? . Tsavo River. 24th July. Wing, $ 310, ? 340 mm. 



cJ . „ 15th August. ,, 320 mm. 



Iris hazel or dark brown; bill black, cere red or yellow ; 

 legs red or orange-colour. 



Not uncommon on the Tsavo, both in the thick bush and 

 on the Serengeti Plains. It was usually shy. 



Serpentarius serpentarius. 



Falco serpentarius Miller, Var. subjects Nat. Hist. 1779, 

 pi. xxviii. [Cape of Good Hope]. 



Serpentarius serpentarius Reichw. Vog. Afr. i. 1900, p. 528. 



($ . Ithanga Hills. 8ih September. 



I noticed a good number of Secretary Birds, both on the 

 Serengeti and along the Tbika. Some of them I saw con- 

 stantly picking up something off the ground, and I believe 

 they feed to a large extent on insects. I have also seen 

 them walk behind a grass-fire looking for half-charred 

 locusts and grasshoppers. 



SEU. X. VOL. V. 2 b 



