194 FALCONID.K. 



of a uniforni pale bluish-wliite L;round colour, which in some specimens may be more or less 

 obscured with pale yellowish-brown nest stains ; others are sparin^^ly marl<ed with minute dark 

 reddish-brown dots or hair lines, or spotted and blotched with different shades of reddish or 

 purplish-brown, the latter colour bein;,' more often found in the sub-surface markings. They 

 may be sparint;ly distributed o\er the shell, at either end, or around the middle, but nowhere 

 have they a tendency to assume the form of a zone. The extremes of size are shown in two 

 sets taken by Mr. 11. G. Barnard, at IJimbi, Duaringa, Queensland, during the same month in 

 lyoS. A set of four taken on the iith (Jctober measures: — Length (A) f73 x f39 inches; 

 (B) f64 X 1-33 inches ; (C) r'>S x r38 inches; (D) f(3y x 1-^5 inches. A set of thiee taken 

 on the ^oth October measures: — Length (A) 2-02 x 1-47 inches; (13) i-gy x 1-51 inches; (C) 

 1-07 X 1-5 inclies. Another set of four tak'en by iNIr. Ijarnard on the 4th (Jctober, 1906, 

 measures:— Length (A) 175 x i-4inches; (B) i-S x 1-45 inches; (0)1-72 x 1-41 inches: (D) 

 1-73 X f43 inches. A set of two taken by Mr. C. Ernest Cowle, at lllamurta. Central Australia, 

 on the loth September, i'Si)3, measures: — Length (A) f.S x o'ji inches; (B) I'Sj x 1-47 

 inches. 



When about a fortnight old the young are co\ered everywhere, except the lower flank's, 

 with creamy-white down, pin feathers first showing through the down of the wings. Iris brown. 

 When slightly older the primaries liave burst their sheaths at the tips, disclosing brown-rufous 

 tipped feathers. 



Young birds are brown abo\e, all the feathers being narrowly margined with rufous; quills 

 brown, the secondaries edged with pale brown at the tips, basal half of the feathers af the head 

 and hind-neck white; ear-coverts dark brown, their bases whitish ; all the under surface white, 

 with dark brownish streaks to the feathers of the thr.iat. and which are \ery much wider on the 

 upper breast; those on the lower breast and abdomen crossed with three or more broad pale 

 brown bands : the thighs washed with fulvous. In this stage of plumage the wing-measurement 

 of both males and females equals tliat of the adults. 



Semi-adult birds of both sexes are distinguished by the broader rufous, and white cross- 

 bands on the under surface. 



September until the end of January constitutes the usual breeding season of this species in 

 Eastern Australia. 



.\ closely allied species, Astiw cnanhis, is found in North-western .Australia and the Northern 

 Territory of South .\ustralia, distinguished principally by its smaller size. None of our .Australian 

 Accipitres have puzzled Ornithologists so much as the present species. Gould, who described 

 and figured it under the name of Astiii' Li'iwitfiis, states in his " Birds of Australia " that it is very 

 common in Western Australia, particularly in the York District and at the Murray. Whether 

 he was quoting from Gilbert's notes, or whether the statement was only a surmise on Gould's 

 part it is impossible to say, but the fact remains that this species is undoubtedly tlie rarest of all 

 our Australian diurnal birds of prey. Mr. George Masters did not meet with it on either of his 

 collecting trips to Western Australia in 1S63 and 1868, the specimens he procured were Astiii' 

 approxiinans, similar to all others examined by me from the south-western portions of that State; 

 some of them were sent under the name of J5///r cnuiitns. Mr. E. J. Cairn and the late Mr. T. 11. 

 Bowyer-Bower, spent over twelve months at Derby, North-western .\ustralia, and although 

 both obtained several specimens of Astuv approxiinans, it was only a short time before the decease 

 of the latter gentleman that he was enabled to send a box to Dr. E. P. Ramsay for examination, 

 which contained examples of the true Astur crucntus of Gould. I know of no properly authenti- 

 cated eggs of this species; that is with the parent bird shot and procured at the nest. 



