142 BUTEO LAGOPU& 



hind toe largest, more compressed, and concave on the 

 sides. 



The plumage is very soft, and rather blended. The 

 space between the bill and the eye is closely covered 

 with bristle-pointed feathers, which are downy at the 

 base, (not, as is stated in a laboured description of this 

 bird, " furnished with black hairs, which are disposed 

 in a stelliform manner over a dense covering of white 

 feathers"). The feathers of the head are close and 

 narrow ; of the upper parts of the body broad, rounded, 

 and rather compact; of the lower parts longer and 

 rounded ; those of the sides and outer part of the tibiae 

 elongated and very soft, of the abdomen remarkably 

 downy, as are the lower tail-coverts. The wings are 

 long, broad, and rounded ; the fourth quill longest, the 

 third almost equal, the second shorter than the fourth, 

 the first about the same length as th« seventh ; the first 

 five slightly cut out on the outer web, the first four 

 more abruptly so on the inner ; the secondary quilk 

 broad and rounded. The tail is rather long, ample, 

 slightly eraarginate and slightly rounded, of twelve 

 broad rounded feathers. 



The bill is brownish-black, at the base greyish-blue, 

 its soft margins yellow. The cere and bare part of the 

 eyebrow are pale greenish-yellow ; the irides are gam- 

 boge-yellow ; the toes of a deeper tint, the claws black. 

 The radiating loral bristles are black, their downy bases 

 whitish. The head and neck all round are yellowish- 

 white or cream-colour, streaked with umber-brown, the 

 central part of each feather being of the latter colour. 

 The upper parts in general may be described as be- 

 ing umber-brown, variegated with light reddish-brown 



