Ac'i fauna of the Mataiu'le l>htnct. 7 



(2) A spechnen of a Harrier-Eagle. Shot on tlie same 

 farm on the 5. 10. 13. I am in doubt whether to refer this 

 specimen to Circaetus pectoralis or C. cinereus, but rather 

 incline to refer it to the hitter, for the following reasons, 

 viz.: — It has all the appearance of C cinereus, and although 

 I have no instrument for taking accurate measurements, the 

 bill appears to be larger and stronger looking than in 

 C, pectoralis ; also, although it is a joung bird^ the new 

 feathers appearing seem to be a uniform dark brown as in 

 C. cinereus. As the young of C. cinereus appears to b3 

 imdescribed, perhaps a short description of this specimen 

 M'ould be of interest. 



Description. — Head creamy white on thecrown; the feathers 

 liave narrow brown shaft-stripes, and towards the nape the 

 feathers become brown subterminally, the amount of broAvn 

 increasing as the mantle is apjn-oached ; round the back of 

 the ear-coverts the feathers are shaded with dark brown^and 

 down the centre of the throat the feathers have dark shaft- 

 streaks. The mantle, scapulars, all the wing-coverts dark 

 brown edged with fulvous, rather more rufous on the lesser 

 wing-coverts. Secondaries ashy brown indistinctly barred 

 with darker brown and ti|iped with white ; the primaries 

 the same colour, but the larger ones almost black lor the 

 terminal third and the inner ones broadly tipjied with white. 

 Tail-coverts like the rest of the upper surface but rather 

 paler ; tail dark ashy brown, wath faint indications of four or 

 five darker bands; all the feathers tipped with rufous white. 

 Under surface white ; all the feathers wdth terminal or sub- 

 terminal bands of pale rufous, the breast being almost 

 uniform pale rufous, as the white bases of the feathers do not 

 show. Under wing-coverts white with subterminal bars of 

 rufous; tibial plumes the same Init brighter than rest of under 

 surface. Bill bluish grey, black at tip. Cere and ga})e bluLsh* 

 Irides yellow tinged with orange-chestnut round the pupil. 

 Legs and feet dirty wdiite. Length 27", wing 20^. Sex ? 



I have also lately shot an albinistic specimen of the Cape 

 Quail, ? . Head mostly white with a few white feathers 

 scattered about throughout the rest of the plumage. 



