THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 43 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW VICTORIAN GOSHAWK, 



ASTUR MACULOSUS. 



By A. Coles. 



{Read before Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, 14th June, 1897.) 



Many of the members of the Club will remember that some two 

 or three years ago I stated that there had been a mistake made 

 when describing our Goshawks in supposing that the two birds 

 {i.e., the one with the spotted front and the other with the barred 

 breast) were identical, differing only in age. This statement was 

 challenged by several members. Since then, assisted by several of 

 our members, I have done what I could to prove my assertions, 

 and have secured 25 specimens. Among them I have found only 

 two of the supposed adult birds, i.e., with the barred breast, the 

 remaining 23 specimens being the supposed younger birds, having 

 long oval spots down the front of the neck and breast. 



I find the whole of the markings of these latter birds differ from 

 the Australian Goshawk, Astur approximans, as described by 

 Vigors and Horsfield, in every respect, and in no case do I find 

 any indication of a change of plumage taking place, as has been 

 asserted by others. This can be clearly seen by the birds and 

 their feathers which I have for examination this evening. I have 

 also the bones of the two birds, and in them there is ample proof 

 of their specific difference. If you compare the breast-bones of 

 the birds it will be seen that that of the Australian Goshawk is of a 

 much broader built bird than the " Spotted-fronted ; " the bones, 

 however, are of the same length, and it seems to me that if this 

 difference be caused by age it should show both in length and 

 breadth, while the keel extends to the end in the former bird, 

 and is shortened in the latter. 



I therefore consider the bird worthy of specific distinction, and 

 propose for it the name Astur maculosus. The following is a 

 description of a female bird shot at Blackburn in April last : — 



Astur maculosus, Coles, Spotted-fronted Goshawk. 



Female. — The bird in general shape and size is very similar to 

 the Australian Goshawk, Austur approximans, V. and H. — a little 

 less in length, not so stout in the body, nor as broad in the head, 

 and differing altogether in colour and markings. Length from 

 bill to tail, 19^ inches; length of leg, 9 inches; from knee to 

 toe, 5 Y& inches ; width of foot, 4 inches. Width of wings, 3 feet ; 

 from shoulder to point of primaries, 12 inches. Tail, 9 inches, 

 containing 12 feathers. The culmen, or upper mandible, ^-inch 

 long, J^-inch broad ; genys, or lower mandible, ^-inch by )^-inch 

 thick ; both black, with yellow dash at the base of the lower 

 extending into the upper. Eyes pale yellow, with large black 

 centres. Forehead white, streaked with dark brown and rufous ; 



