Birds of Gazaland. 427 



whether the dusky particles flying past are merely scraps of 

 ash or more substantial fare. When it sights prey it suddenly 

 hastens its flight, still without a flap of the wings, upwards, 

 downwards, or sideways towards the object. This, if above, 

 it seizes in its bill and, transferring it to its claws, cats it as it 

 flies along without the least interruption of its gliding motion. 

 Sometimes, if the insect is not sighted till the bird is almost 

 on it, the turn to seize it will be sudden, or the bird may turn 

 a somersault in securing it, but here again every movement 

 is characterized by the most perfect grace. 



230. Elanus c^ruleus. Black-shouldered Kite. 



Rh. I have met with this bird fairly frequently at various 

 localities in Northern and Southern Melsetier, particularly 

 during the past year. 



231. AcciPiTER MiNULLUs. Little Sparrow-Hawk. 



P. I secured an immature male of this species on August 

 lltb, ]906, on the Kurumadzi, perched on a tree in the 

 grass-jungle. The cere, gape, and eyelids were light yellow 

 tinged with green, the irides and feet deep gamboge, and 

 the bill and claws black. It measured 8*85 inches in the 

 flesh and the stomach contained the remains of a Sun-bird. 



232. AsTUR TACHiRO. African Goshawk. 



Rh. This is the only Hawk which I have found 

 habitually entering the forest of Chirinda. A male, secured 

 on June 26th, 1906, while harrying the fowls at my home- 

 stead, measured 15 inches in the flesh, and its stomach 

 contained the remains of a bird, apparently Macronyx 

 capensis. The iris in this specimen was greenish yellow, 

 suffused with green immediately round the pupil, and the 

 tarsi and feet were Naples yellow tinged with green on the 

 toes. In a very old male, measuring 14*5 inches in the flesh, 

 trapped in the forest and brought to me alive on July 25th, 

 the iris, tarsi, and feet were all orange-yellow. In both the 

 eyelids were orange lined internally with a rim of blackish, 

 the bill was black or blackish, pale blue towards the base, 

 the gape yellow, while the orbital ridge, cere, and extreme 

 base of the bill were dull olive-green, and the claws blackish. 



