PhnnariP hi Female Laiuier 



II. — Shigular Plumaf/e in young Female Lanner 

 (F. biarniicus). By B. 0. R. Laxgford. 



(Plate L) 



In October last three nestlino- Lanners were brought to the 

 Pretoria Zoological Gardens from the Waterberg ; two of 

 them, a male and a female, are of the usual rich brown 

 colour, but the third, also a female, differs so considerably 

 from the normal type as to be worth describing. 



The head as usual, except that the dark patch on forehead 

 is bisected transversely by a row of minute grey spots. 



Cere and orbits blue ; legs and feet greenish yellow. The 

 claws, at first almost white, have now become dark horn. 



All the under plumage as usual, but the longitudinal 

 markings are blackish rather than brown and are, each of 

 them, faintly barred and spotted with grey. 



The general colour of the upper plumage is like that of the 

 adult, a dark slate. The mantle and shoulders are distinctly 

 barred on every feather with very pale grey. 



Tlie major and primary coverts clouded with grey which, 

 near the tip of the feather, concentrates into a distinct 

 annular, almost white, spot. The primaries are dark brown — 

 the first two plain — the remainder, somewhat broadly margined 

 with gvey, are stained with the same colour and have an 

 annular whitish spot near the tip. The ovale bars on the 

 inner webs are white. 



The tail is fuscous tipped with buff and has a cloudy 

 subtorminal grey band. 



From the irregularity of the markings everywhere except 

 on the back and shoulders the bird has a somewhat pied 

 appearance, and the whole plumage appears blanched and 

 faded and, though at the present time the bird is highly fed 

 and apparently in good health, has none of the gloss usually 

 to be seen. 



Is this a case of partial albinism, hybridism, or is it merely 

 a "sport"? 



Young Sakers {F. rherrvf). a not distantly allied species, 



