DESCRIPTION, DISTRIBUTION, HABITS 



of under parts white, with blue-grey on the breast. Iris cherry- 

 red to orange. Bill black. Cere dull yellow. Legs yellow. 

 Claws black. 



Lengthy I2.0 ; wing, lo.i ; tail, 4.75. 



The female is not so strongly marked with black as the male, 

 and is slightly larger. The young bird is ashy-brown above. 

 Below white, marked with brown stripes. Iris brown. 



Distrik-ition. — Found throughout Africa and coasts of 

 Mediterranean. In South Africa it is everywhere fairly 

 common, except in the Western Province of the Cape. 



Habits. — This hawk is usually seen about in pairs. It is 

 a bold and fearless bird, and is fond of occupying such 

 conspicuous perches as telegraph poles and the tops of dry trees. 

 It is very noisy, emitting a harsh cry when on the wing. It 

 . feeds chiefly on large insects, rats, and mice. This kite usually 

 builds its nest in an isolated tree, the idea seemingly being that 

 the bird on the nest may have ample warning of the approach of 

 an enemy. The nest is built of twigs, the hollow in which 

 the eggs are laid being lined with dry grass. The eggs, from 

 4 to 5 in number, are laid between September and October. 

 They are of a dirty greenish-white ground colour, blotched 

 more or less with deep purplish-brown. They vary somewhat 

 in size, measuring 1.8 to 1.5 by 1.35 to 1.20. 



Jackal Buzzard {Buteo jakal). (Vol. II., p. 169.) 



Description. — Feathers dull black above with white bases. 

 The white does not show unless plumage is lifted. Tail 

 rufous with subterminal spots of black. Throat and sides of 

 breast black. Large patch of rufous on the breast. Rest of 

 under parts mixed black and rufous. The immature bird does 

 not show so much rufous as the fully-matured specimens. 

 Iris dirty yellow approaching to grey-brown. Beak dull 

 brown with yellow base. Tip black. Legs yellow. Claws 

 black. 



Length, 21.5; tail, 7.5; wing, 15.5. 



