383 
passed some time in the Falklands, when Naturalist on board H.M.S. 
Beagle, that we are indebted for the first detailed account of the 
birds of this group. In the second volume of the ‘ Zoology’ of the 
Voyage of the Beagle, which is devoted to Ornithology, upwards of 
20 species are recorded as having been obtained in the Falklands on 
this occasion, and many very interesting details are given of their 
habits and localities. Many specimens of birds were also collected 
at the Falkland Islands by the officers of H.M. Ships Erebts and 
Terror during the Antarctic Expedition ; and though the < Zoology ’ 
of that voyage has, unfortunately, never been completed, the localities 
of many of the specimens have been recorded in the Lists of the 
British Museum, in which they were deposited. 
In the First Part of our < Proceedings’ for the past year *, Mr. 
Gould has described the eggs of some of the birds of the Falklands, 
“from specimens collected principally by Captain C. C. Abbott.” 
Mr. Gould’s list notices 38 species as occurring in the group. Re- 
ference to some other authorities, together with Capt. Pack’s series, 
has enabled me to raise the number of birds now well ascertained to 
be met with in these islands to 57. 
It may be remarked that the fauna of the Falklands is purely 
South American in character, the whole of these 57 species, with 
four or five exceptions only (Milvago australis, Phrygilus melano- 
derus, P. xanthogrammus, Cinclodes antareticus, and Muscisaxicola 
macloviana), as far as is hitherto known, being also found on the 
neighbouring mainland, and these excepted species belonging to South 
American genera. Out of the 57 species, 16 only are what are 
generally termed Land-birds (Accipitres and Passeres), the remainder 
being Gralle and Anseres. 
I, Accrpirres. 
1. CaTHARTES AURA (Linn.): Darwin, Zool. Voy. Beagle, p. 8; 
Gould, P. Z. 8. 1859, p. 93. 
**Tolerably common ”’ (Darwin). Specimens sent by Capt. Pack 
and Capt. Abbott. The egg figured in ‘The Ibis,’ vol. ii. pl. 1. fig. 2, 
as that of a rare variety of Milvago australis, belongs to this bird 
(see Capt. Abbott in * Ibis,’ 1860, p- 432), so that it breeds in the 
Falklands. Mr. Gurney informs me’ that the skins sent by Capt. 
Abbott are not, in his opinion, different from North American spe- 
cimens. 
2. Mitvaco ausrratis( Gm.).—Falco leucurus, Forster, MS. — 
Milvago leucurus, Darw. Zool. p- 15; Gould, P. Z. 8. 1859, p. 93 ; 
Sclater, Ibis, 1860, p. 24 (cum fig. ovi). 
“ Exceedingly numerous, and very bold and rapacious ” (Darwin). 
Specimens sent by Capt. Pack. The egg of this bird is figured 
in ‘The Ibis,’ as above referred to, from examples transmitted by 
Capt. Abbott. 
* Proc. Zool. Soe. 1859, p- 93. 
