183 



Gen. XC. POLIHIERAX Kaup (1847). 



Type by monotypy Falco semitorquatus Smith. 

 [ = Poliohierax Sharpe et auct.] 



Nostrils as in Microhierax ; tarsus less feathered 

 in front ; wing with second primary longest, first 

 nearly equal to third, 4th shortest ; size small 

 (length under 8 in.) 



"285. Polihierax semitorquatus semitorquatus 

 (Smith), Rep. Expl. Centr. Afr., p. 44 

 (1836). [Near Latakoo, Bechuanaland.] 

 African Pigmy Falcon. 



Wing S 117, ? 121 mm. ; (^ above bluish 

 grey ; head darker ; forehead, sides of face 

 and hind neck pure white ; quills and tail 

 brown, spotted on outer and barred on inner 

 webs with white ; upper tail-coverts white, 

 as well as entire under parts ; $ interscapu- 

 lary region and scapulars deep vinous 

 chestnut. 



S. Africa, 

 Bechuanaland 

 to Damaraland, 

 Orange Free 

 State, and 

 Basutoland. 



285a. Polihierax semitorquatus castanonotus^ S. Abyssinia, 



Heugl., Ibis, 1860, p. 407. [Mere Belenia, Somahland, 

 White Nile.] Brit. E. Africa. 



Abyssinian Pigmy Falcon. 



Wing c? 115-119, ? 120 mm. ; above with 

 head and neck darker slaty grey ; below 

 with white bars on under surface of wings 

 and tail broader ; wings rather longer ; 

 feet stronger and stouter. 



I Heuglin afterwards withdrew this name, as his supposition that the mantle 

 was chestnut in both sexes proved incorrect. The characters I have given, however, 

 serve to distinguish the northern from the southern race. Zedhtz (J. f. O., 1914, 

 p. 675) has described P. s. deckeri from S. Somaliland, while Oberholser had previously 

 described P. s. homopterus from W. Somaliland, but I am unable to separate these 

 supposed races from castanonotus. 



