O FALCONID^. 



GYPOICTINIA. 



Gypoictinia melanosternon. 



Black-breasted Buzzard. 



Nestling. Covered with white fiutf'y down. Cere bluish, bill 

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

 lead colour. Total length about eleven inches. Dark rufous- 

 brown feathers first nppear on the nape, interscapular region, 

 upper wing-coverts and tail ; the quills blackish with I'eddish- 

 brown margins. 



Adult female. Total length 22-5 inches; wing 19 inches; tail 

 85 inches ; tarsus 2-55 inches ; bill from forehead 2*1 inches, from 

 gape 2"1 inches, from nostril 1"35 inch, culmen 2-2 inch. "Irides 

 liazel ; bill pale horn colour ; cere ashy-brown ; feet and legs 

 greyish ; claws black. Rex female, shot from nest." 



Adult female. Total length 23'5 inches; wing 18'6 inches; 

 tail 8'7 inches ; tai'sus 2 '5 inches ; bill from forehead l'8r) inch, 

 from nostril 1-18 inch, from gape 227 inches ; culmen 2-2 inches. 



Remarks. In addition to Mr. Sharpy's 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 webs of 

 the wing-coverts jet black, inner webs of the wing-coverts rufous, 

 under primary coverts dark slate colour, thighs and under tail- 

 coverts rich rufous with a blackish shaft stripe, the notch in the 

 first four primaries are largely developed. When the wings are 

 extended the lai'ge white patch at the base of the quills is ^'ery 

 conspicuous and the bird can thus easily be recognised at a great 

 height. 



HIERACIDEA. 



Hieracidea orientalip. 



The Brown HaivTc, Crcum-hellied Falcon S(c. 



Nestling, Reg. No. B. 6433. " Taken from the nest October 9th, 

 18S4, about three weeks old, Mossgiel, N.S. Wales. Iris dark 

 brown ; bill and cere lead colour, dark at the tip ; legs and feet 

 bluish-white, claws dark brown." Total length 9 inches; wing 4 

 inches; bill from forehead 1 inch, from gape 1 inch; tarsus 1"8 

 inch; mid toe (s.u.) 1"15 inch. Covered with dull whitey-brown 

 down above and below, under surface dull white, down on the 

 flanks long and of an ashy tinge ; pin-feathers of the wing as far as 

 expostd, and of the tail blackish with rufous margins tipped with 

 down. 



Nestling, Reg. No. B. 10155. "Taken from the nest, Mos.sgiel, 

 October 29th. About a month old. Iris rich dark bi'ovvn; 

 cere greyish, eyelids bluish-white ; bill horn colour ; legs fleshy- 



