FALCONID^ POLIOHIERAX 289 



only the extreme upper portion feathered in front, the bare portion 

 a good deal longer than the middle toe and claw, covered with 

 polygonal scales, rather larger in front than on the sides or behind ; 

 toes weak, claws but little curved. 



Only two species of these pigmy falcons are known, the African 

 one here described and another confined to Burma and the Indo- 

 Chinese regions. 



Fig. 93. — Foot of Poliohierax semitorqtiatus. x \. 



515. Poliohierax semitorquatus. Pigmy Falcon. 



Falco semitorquata, Smith, Rep. Exped. C. Afr. p. 44 (1836) ; id. 



Illust. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. i (male) 1838. 

 Hypotriorchis castanonotus, P. L. Sclatcr, Ibis, 1861, p. 346, pi. xiii 



(female). 



Poliohierax semitorquatus, Gurney, in Andersson''s B. Damaraland, 



p. 19 (1872) ; Sliarjye, Cat. B. M. i, p. 370 (1874) ; Sharpe, ed. Laijard's 



B. S. Afr. pp.55, 799 (1875-84) ; Buckley, Ibis, 1876, p. 132 [Bamang- 



wato] ; Gurney, Ibis, 1881, p. 275 ; Fleeh, Journ. Ornitli. 1894, p. 



393 [Relieboth] ; Shelley B. Afr. i, p. 146 (1896) ; Bcichenow, Vug. 



Afr. i, p. 645 (1901). 



Description. Adult male. — General colour above, bluish-grey, 



a patch of white on the nape, the upper tail-coverts the same 



colour, primaries and outer secondaries black tipped with white, 



and with a series of white spots along either web, tail-feathers also 



19 VOL, III. 



