44 ACCIPITEES. 



Eggs, Austr. Bds., p. 11, pi. v, figs. 3 and 4 (1889) ; Sharpe, Index 



Gould's Works, jp. 144 (1893); Gurney, jun.. Cat. Bds. Frey, p. 



26 (1894); Keartl. Aves, Horn. Exped. Centr. Austr., p. 107 



(1896) ; id. Vict. Nat., vol. xiii, p. 60 (1896). 

 Gypoictinia melanosterna, Sharpe, Cat. Bds., Brit. Mus., vol. i, p. 335 



(1874) ; id. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1875, p. 339. 

 Gypoictinia leucosternon, Kaup, Arch. f. Naturg., 1850, p. 33. 



Male. " Abovfe blackish, browner on the scapulars, lower back, 

 and rump, the latter part washed with rufous, some of the 

 feathers lighter-edged ; smaller wing-coverts asbj grey, each 

 feather blackish in the centre, the rest of the wing-coverts black, 

 the inner ones washed with rufous ; quills black, the secondaries 

 ashy grey towards their tips ; primaries externally ashy white at 

 base, the outer ones shaded with grey ; primaries underneath 

 white at base, black towards the tip, the secondaries greyish 

 below ; upper tail-coverts black, outer ones washed with rufous ; 

 tail ashy grey above, paler below, and inclining to white near the 

 base ; head crested, the fore part of the crown black, the hinder 

 part and the nape, as well as the sides of the neck, tawny rufous, 

 some of the feathers black in the centre, producing a striped 

 appearance ; cheeks, ear-coverts, and entire under surface, black, 

 some of the flanks and abdominal feathers inclining to ashy ; 

 thighs and under tail-coverts rufous, with black shaft-lines ; 

 under wing-coverts blackish, the small ones varied with 

 white, and some washed with rufous. Total length 24 inches, 

 culmen 2'45, wing 19", tail 8"5, tarsus 2'65, middle toe 1'95."* 



Adult female. Total length 22'5 inches ; wing 19; tail 8"5 ; 

 tarsus 2*55 ; bill from forehead 2'1, from gape 2'1, from nostril 

 1"35, culmen 2"2. "Iris hazel ; bill pale horn colour ; cere ashy 

 brown ; feet and legs greyish ; claws black. Sex female, shot 

 from nest." 



Adult female. Total length 23"5 inches ; wing 186 ; tail 8*7 ; 

 tarsus 2 5 ; bill from forehead 1'85, from nostril 1"18, from 

 gape 2-27 ; culmen 2-2. 



Nestling. Covered with white flutfy down. Cere bluish, bill 

 dark horn colour, feet ashy-white, bare space on the face bluish- 

 lead colour. Total length about 11 inches. Dark rufous-brown 

 feathers first appear on the nape, interscapular region, upper 

 wing-coverts and tail ; the quills blackish with reddish-brown 

 margins. 



Remarks. In addition to Mr. Sharpens very good description 

 of this bird, in specimens usually examined the feathers of the 

 nape, hinder part and sides of the neck are rich rufous with a 

 black shaft stripe ; mantle, interscapular region, and the outer 



* Sharpe, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus. vol. i, p. 335 (1874). 



