190 FAI.(;iiNIli,K 



Australian JMuseuiii Collection anv adult specimen of White (Goshawk from Cape \'oi'lc aj^reeing 

 in size with the much smaller dimensions of .-I . Itinosoiiiiis from New Ciuinea. A young male 

 ./. ;;i';'(<'-/;(i//(i;;i/;>, from Cape "\'orl<, measures total len,t,'th 15 inches, wing 9-5, tail 7'4, bill i-2, 

 tarsus 2-6. An adult female in the Macleay Museum at the University of Sydney, from the 

 same locality, shot liy the Curatoi, Mr. George Masters, on the iSth September, 1S75, measures : — 

 Total lengtli 19-5, wing 11-5, tail <S-S. This is only 0-7 inches smaller in winj^-measurement 

 than our largest specimen obtained in New South Wales. The smallest adult male we have in 

 the collection was procured at Cairns, North-eastern Queensland, and has the tail-feathers and 

 S(_)me ol the (]uills much worn at the tips: it measures: — Total length iy>< inches, wing irj, tail 

 7'fi. Dr. Sharpe's measurements of the type specimen of .1. Iciiioicnnis (an adult male) are as 

 follows: — T<nal leiiLith i2-j inches, wins; 7-^, tail 59, tarsus 2-25, middle tup 1-2. 



Astur approximans. 



AUSTRALIAN (.i( >SHAWK. 



As/iii- iip/ini.riininis, Vig. iind Ilorsf., Trans. Linn. Sor., Vol. XV., p. 1'<1 (1827); Gould, Bds. 

 Austr., fol. Vol. I., pi. 17 (ISIS) ; i,/, Haiidbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. 1., p. 41 (ISGr.); Sliarpp, 

 Cat. Bds. r.rit. Mus., Vol. ]., p. 12G (1S47); /-A, Hand-1. I'.ds., Vol. I., p. ir, (ISS'J). 



Af^lnr fnscint.ns, Vig and llorsf., Tians. Liim. Soc, Vol. NV., p. Isl (ISl'7) 



Ai)1:LT .\).\LK. — (!,'iiri;il riiliiiir aliiiri\ 'inchiiUiKj lh>> iriiia>t, dull hroini : d brinnl cnllar mi tlii' 

 /ii}td-7irck' 7"n/nn^'l>r(>/rii : tail hroirn rro^std 'I'lth iitil isl inrt ihi rL'<r hrinrit haiiih : Jtritil tUirk h'ath'il 

 hrvii-iL : Jurcs 1I11II ti'hilish. nir-furpiis ash ii-lirini 11 : llimal /i-ln/ia/i iri/li /ml'' iisIii/-liniN'ii cnins-liars : 

 riindiniti'r al Ihr umlrr siir/iifr i/nll riij'niis rrossrd ivitli inuiu'roiis irluli'.hiirrintis, /r/iic/i is narrmvlij 

 harderpd ahorc and Ih'Idiv irifh (ishydirnii-it ; tin- lliiijhs )iini-r rrddisli-riifniis, thf ichili' htirriiigs uarrou'i'V, 

 less disliiict, ami ii-ilJuml fin iis/iylirdin/ inni-i/ins ; hdl hlark, hlxisli /inrn culonr at flu: base; cere and 

 gape greenish-yell oi(^ : legs ijelloii}, tlie feit slightli/ darkir , (/■(.-.■ rirh yellmr I'nUd le/iiglli in (he flesh 

 Pro iiiches, icing 10 ..\ fail S3, bill I, fnrsiis -l 1. 



AdI'LT FV.MM.V..--Si)iiiliir in. iiliiuKige til the male, lint larger. Tntnl h ngtii in the jlfsh lUd 

 inches, tcing 1..' .', fail ID, hill 1 ,.', farsns ■j\i.'>. 



Diitrihittion. — North-western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, \'ictoria. South 

 Australia, Central Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania. 



ITHQUT exception the common Goshawk is the most widely distributed member of 

 the Qrder .\ccipitres inhabiting the .Vustralian continent, occurring also in Tasmania. 

 In the Australian Museum Collection are e.xamples from all parts of Australia, but in a series 

 of sixty-six specimens now before me, only eighteen are skins of fully adult birds, the remainder 

 consisting; in about equal numbers of young and semi-adults, which \ary so much in colour and 

 character of their markings from the adults. This marked dilterence in plumage between the 

 adults and young also occurs in Accif^itcr cirrhoa-phnliis, which furthermore closely resembles 

 Aititr apprexliiuvts in colourmg and markings, but is of smaller size. As pointed out by I >r. Iv. 

 B. Sharpe- in 1874 : — " The male of Aitur approxiiiians may always be told from the female of 

 Accipitcv lii'vlioiephalns by its long tail, which measures 8 to 8-5 inches in the former, whereas 

 the length of the latter never exceeds 7-2 or 7-3 inches. Along with this character will be found 

 the slender middle toe of Accipiter." In a species so widely distributed as Aitur appri'xiiiiaiis, 

 it may be expected that individual variations occur, while it is possible also with examples 

 procured in the same State ; our lightest and darkest adult specinrens were obtained in New 

 South Wales. In lioth adult males and females, but particularly the latter, otherwise fully 



* Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. I., p. 127 (1874). 



