mhabiting the South of Africa. 
389 
STIRPS. MILVINA. 
Rostrum mediocre a basi subaduncum. 
Cauda furcata. 
GENUS. ELANUS. 
Rostrum mediocre debile, com- 
pressum. Tarsi breves semi- 
plumati. Acrotarsia reticulata. 
Ungues medio excepto interne 
rotundi. Remex 2dus. longissi- 
mus ; mus. et Qdus. fortiter in- 
terne emarginatus. 
Bill moderately long, weak, 
and compressed. Tarsi short, 
half feathered. Acrotarsia 
reticulated. Claws, with the 
exception of the middle one, 
rounded. Second wing feather 
the longest; first and second 
|| strongly emarginate. 
Exianvus Metanoptervs, Leach. Witte Spervel of the Colonists. 
Elanus Caesius, Savigny—F alco Melanopterus, Dawd.—Le 
Blac, Le Vaillant, pl. 36 and 37. 
EH. plumbeus, subtus albidus, remigibus nigricantibus ; rostro 
humerisque, nigris; cauda subalbida ; pedibus, cera que flavis, 
oculis rubris. 
Male.—Bill black; cere yellow; eyes red; front and eye- 
brows white ; crown and back of neck light bluish gray; in- 
terscapulars, back, rump, and scapulars, bluish gray; shoulders 
jet black; chin, throat, breast, belly, vent, and inside of wings 
pure white. Primary and secondary wing coverts bluish gray, 
with the edges of inner vanes white, and some of the feathers 
distinctly tipt with that color; primary quill feathers dusky, 
hoary gray, shaded towards tips with reddish brown; secon- 
daries bluish gray. Tail slightly forked, pale bluish white, 
with the outer vane of each feather faintly tinted with purple 
near tip; vanes dark reddish brown; legs and toes yellow; 
claws black. Length from bill to base of tail six and a half 
inches ; length of latter five inches. 
Female.—Size rather exceeding that of the male, and the 
color of the plumage less deep. 
Young.—Bill black ; base of under mandible, and the part 
of the upper one adjoining it, yellowish ; front reddish white; 
crown and back of neck dusky, slightly variegated with very 
fine reddish tawny streaks; interscapulars dirty blackish 
blue, with fine reddish white tips ; back uniform dusky blue; 
scapulars dirty blackish blue, with a tinge of brown, and all 
broadly tipt with impure white ; shoulders black, many of the 
feathers faintly tipt with white. Primary and secondary wing 
coverts bluish gray, many of them with white tips; primary 
wing feathers blackish blue with white tips; secondaries with 
reddish white tips. Chin and throat white; breast and belly 
pale tawny or dull reddish white ; thighs white. Tail a pale 
[53] 
