20 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
1’ 31’, Le Vaillant found one white egg, and three young birds 
in a nest, in a mimosa tree, built of flexible twigs and thorns, lined 
with feathers. 
All the upper parts and head grey, darker on the mantle and 
occiput. Throat and breast blue-grey ; belly white, barred with grey. 
Large wing-feathers brown, the centre ones tipped with white. 
Upper and under tail-coverts white. Upper tail-feathers clear-brown, 
barred with dark-brown: lower feathers barred, black and white. 
Cere andlegs red. Iris, according to Mr. Atmore, bright crimson in 
adult, yellow in young bird. Length, 14” ; wing, 8” ; tail, 7’’ 6’’’. 
The plumage of the immature bird is brown as in the two pre- 
ceding species, but the pure white of the upper tail coverts is con- 
spicuous in all stages. 
Fig. Leyaill, Ois. d Afr. pl. 33. 
17. Metierax NIGER. Black Goshawk. 
Sir Andrew Smith procured this species in South Africa, and his 
specimens are still im the British Museum, but he does not state the 
exact locality. Im Damara Land, Mr. Andersson says :—“ It is rather 
scarce ; I do not recollect having seen it in Great Namaqua Land, 
but it is found to the north as far as the Okavango, and eastward to 
the lake, though nowhere numerous.” Senor Anchieta has procured 
it in Mossamedes, at Gambos and Huilla. In the Zambesi country 
Dr. Dickerson found it at Magomero. 
Adult male.—General colour black ; tail-feathers each with three 
white spots above and four below. Primary quill-feathers greyish 
white, with small black and ashy-coloured spots. Total length, 11:3 
inches; wing, 7°1; tarsus, 1°75. 
Adult female.—Similar to the male, but larger. Total length 13 
inches; wing, 9'1; tarsus, 2°15. 
18. AsruUR TACHIRO. African Goshawk. 
We have received specimens of the young bird from several of our 
correspondents, who tell us it is not uncommon in the forest dis- 
tricts ; birds in adult stages of plumage are, however, very scarce. 
Victorin procured it in the Karroo and in the Knysna, where it 
appears to be plentiful. It is not included in Mr, Rickard’s Fast 
