384 A Description of the Birds 
tail coverts white, under ones black, with some narrowly tipt 
with white. Tail nearly even, black, with four transverse 
bands of dark bluish gray, and the tips of all the feathers 
grayish white; the vanes close to quills pure silky white. 
Legs and toes yellow; claws black. Length from bill to base 
of tail ten inches; length of latter nine and a half inches. 
Female.—Size rather greater than that of the male, and the 
prevailing color is more of a dull blackish brown. 
Young.—Bill and cere as in mature specimens ; front black- 
ish brown ; crown and part of nape light rufous, variegated 
with brownish black streaks or clouds: back of neck an uni- 
form brownish black; shoulders, wing coverts, and scapulars, 
brownish black, broadly tipt with pale rufous or tawny white ; 
chin, throat, breast, and belly, tawny rufous; the two first 
with brownish streaks or spots, the third clouded by brownish 
blotches, and the last slightly marked by longitudinal brown 
streaks. Quill feathers with the gray less clear, with the 
tips tawny white, but otherwise as in old specimens. Tail 
blackish brown, with three distinct white transverse bands, 
besides the bases and tips of all the feathers being white. 
Legs and toes dirty yellow. 
This bird frequents marshy damp grounds in the vicinity of 
Cape Town, as well as along both the eastern and western 
coasts. It feeds upon mice, rats, frogs, and lizards, and in 
quest of those it skims slowly along close to the surface of the 
ground. It builds its nest sometimes in low bushes in the 
vicinity of swamps, but more generally amongst rushes or 
reeds in the middle of marshes; constructs it externally of 
dried twigs, rushes, &c.; internally of wool and hair; and 
lays from three to four eggs. 
Obs.—In very young specimens of this bird, the whole of 
the under parts are nearly of an uniform tawny tinge ; but as 
the plumage developes itself, the throat and breast exhibit dark 
brown variegations, and in proportion as it advances in age, 
those become more distinct, and also appear on the belly. 
In many specimens irregular white spots are observed on the 
latter, and many of the feathers are also narrowly tipt with 
white. In some old birds the transverse bands of the tail are 
pure silky white, instead of gray. 
Circus SwWAINSONII. 
C. supra argenteus ; subtus albus ; remigibus nigro-ceruleiis ; 
rectricibus lateralibus albis, fasciis transversis irreqularibus 
notatis ; mediis, canis fasciis obscuris transversis variegatis ; 
tarsis flavis ; rostro nigro. 
Bill black; cere yellow; eyes ; front nearly pure 
white ; head, neck, back, rump, and shoulders light grayish 
[48] 
