24 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



Genus AVICIDA, Swainson. 

 Bill strong, the upper mandible furnished with two teeth, 

 and the lower mandible emarginated. Wings lengthened, 

 with the fourth quill the longest.- Tarsi not longer than the 

 hind toe, the basal half plumed and robust. Toes remark- 

 ably broad, the inner toe longer than the outer ; claws 

 strong and curved. 



34. Avicida Verreauxii, Lafr. Hyptiopus Gaf- 

 fer, Sund. ; A. Guculoides, Swainson. Birds of W. 

 Af, Vol. I, p. 104, PI. I. 



Above cinereous, with the back and scapulars brown ; the 

 throat and breast pale cinereous ; body whitish, crossed by 

 broad brown bars ; vent and under tail-coverts fulvous, 

 immaculate ; tail even, cinereous, with a broad terminal bar. 

 Length, about 16" ; wings, 13" ; tail, 8". 



A species chiefly found in Western Africa, but sent from Natal by 

 Mr. Ayres. It has not occurred to me. 



Genus PERNIS, Cuvier. 

 Bill weak, gradually curved from the base to the tip, 

 which is hooked, the lateral margins curved, the side com- 

 pressed, the gonys gradually advancing upwards ; the nostrils 

 long, narrow, placed obliquely in the cere ; the lores thickly 

 clothed with scale-like feathers. Wings long, broad, with 

 the third, fourth, and fifth quills the longest. Tail long, 

 broad, and somewhat rounded. Tarsi short, with the basal 

 half plumed, and the rest covered with reticulated scales ; 

 toes slender, with the last joint covered with transverse 

 scales, the inner one the longest; the claws moderate and 

 curved. 



35. PerniS ApivOrUS. Falco Apivoms, Linn.; 

 Buteo Apivorus, Jeny. ; Honey Buzzard ; Le Tach- 

 ard, Le Vail., PI. 19 ; Falco Tachardus, V. ; £. Mada- 



gascariensis, Smith. 



Tail with four broad and numerous small dusky bands ; 

 wings with two similar bands. Adult male with the anterior 

 parts of the head brownish- grey, the upper parts deep- 

 brown ; the throat white, with longitudinal dark lines ; the 

 rest of the lower parts white, with broad bands and spots of 



