FALCONID^ MELIKRAX 363 



Habits. — This bird has been surrounded by Levaillant with a 

 somewhat fictitious glamour. He tells us that the male sings most 

 sweetly all day and night perched on a branch near the female. On 

 this account he gave it the name of " Chanteur." Later observers 

 have not noticed this great gift of song, but state that it gives a 

 mellow piping whis'tle from time to time somewhat resembling the 

 thrilling notes of musical glasses. 



The Chanting Goshawk frequents open or bushy country where 

 it lives a good deal on the ground, running swiftly in pursuit of its 

 prey but rising and settling on a tree when disturbed ; its food 

 consists of rats, mice, reptiles and insects. Even such large 

 animals as hares and paauws {Otidce) fall victims to it on occasion. 



The nest is built in the fork of a tree or bush and, according to 

 Atmore, four eggs are laid. These are nearly true ovals and white, 

 measuring from 2-30 to 2-10 X 1-76 to 1-70. 



546. Melierax mechowi. Meclww's Goshaivk. 



Melierax polyzonus {iiec Rii2}i}.), Gurncij in Anderssona B. Damaraland 

 p. 88 (1872) ; Sliarpe, Cat. B. M. i, p. 88 (1874) (in part) ; id. ed. La yard's 

 B. S. Afr. pp. 18, 795 (1875-84); Marshall, Ibis, 1900, p. 256 [Mashona- 

 land]. 



Melierax uiechowi, Cahanis, Jourii. Ornitk. 1882, p. 229 ; Shellcij, B. Afr. 

 i, p. 151 (1896) ; Sowerby, Ibis, 1898, p. 573 ; lieichcnow, Voy. Afr. i, 

 p. 546 (1901). 



Description. Adult. — General colour above, dark slate, the 

 primaries darker, almost black, the secondaries lighter, a bluish-slate, 

 some of the latter slightly mottled with white at the tip ; upper tail- 

 coverts dark slate with narrow transverse bands of white ; tail- 

 feathers black, all but the centre pair tipped with white, and towards 

 the outer pair increasingly barred and mottled with white ; below, 

 throat and chest like the back, rest of the under surface, including 

 the thighs, under wing- and tail-coverts finely banded with dark 

 slate and white. 



Iris brown ; bill horn- black, vermilion at the base ; cere and feet 

 vermilion. 



Length 18-0 ; wing 12-0; tail 7-75 ; tarsus 3-5; culmen 1-30. 



The female is somewhat larger ; wing about 13 "4. 



The young bird is brown above, mottled and streaked with paler, 

 tail brown, banded with blackish-brown with increasing white on 

 the inner web ; throat white streaked with pale rufous, chest clouded 



