Ohseivaiion. — I liave iu)t seen an exainple of this bird but 

 cannot distinguish between Gambian birds and Ihose froiii East 

 Africa. It is reinarkable if the Sénégal and Ganibia birds are diffé- 

 rent. I am very doubtfiil if this race will be maintained when we 

 hâve a further séries froni Sénégal for comparaison. 



(This hawk is fairly conimon, it seenis to prêter lizardsto young 

 chickens. — W. P. L.). 



Astur tachiro macroscelides. 



Astu)- macroscelides Harilaub, lourn. Ornith., 1855, P- 354- — 

 Type locality : Giiinea [Gold Coast]. 



Mr. LowE shot five exaniples of the West African Goshawk 

 obtained on the Ognn river, S. Nigeria in December, 1919, and at 

 the Iju water works near Lagos in Januarv and February, 1920. A 

 very vvelcome addition lo the British Muséum séries. 



This species has been obtained in Southern Nigeria by 

 H. N. ToMPSOX at Lagos and bv P. A. Talbot at Obutong and 

 Oban in January and March, 



In the two adult maies which Mr. Lowe shot on J5th January 

 and 2nd February there is a noticeable différence in the tone ot 

 the grey upper-surface, the February bird having a much lighter 

 back. This indirectly lends colour to my theory already expressed 

 that the bird known as Asiiir splienuriis rig-genbachi is but an 

 example of A. sphemirns sphenurus in dark plumage, due to âge 

 or seasonal change, and that it will not, when we hâve more mate- 

 rial, prove to be a fixed environmental race. 



Range. — This Goshawk ranges from Sierra Leone to Southern 

 Nigeria. It is represented in the British Muséum by seventeen 

 examples from Sierra Leone (Kemp), Gold Coast (Usshek) and 

 Southern Nigeria (Tho.mpson, Talbot, Lowe). 



There are various races of Astur tachiro inhabiting différent 

 parts of Africa and thèse will be found set ont in Mr. Kirke 

 Swann's Synopsis of Acci pitres, pt I, H)-;i, pp. 34-35. ^L Swann 



