CIRCUS ^RTJGINOSUS 91 



atlantis (J. f. 0. 1898, p. 395), stating that it differs from typical 

 G. barbatus in the marking of the throat and cheeks, and in the 

 feathering of the feet, as well as in its lesser size and more slender 

 proportions, and that it stands, so far as plumage is concerned, 

 between G. barbatus and G. ossifragus, resembling the latter in 

 point of size. 



As regards the marking of the throat and cheeks I may observe 

 that specimens from Europe sometimes have these parts spotless, and 

 merely show the dark streak behind the eye. With regard to the 

 feathering of the tarsus, most of the Algerian specimens I have 

 examined certainly do not have the feathering extending quite down 

 to the toes, and in this respect they no doubt stand between G. 

 barbatus and G. ossifragus as Erlanger says, but the character does 

 not appear to be altogether constant, for I have seen a specimen 

 from Algeria in the Paris Museum which has its tarsus completely 

 feathered down to the toes, as in the European bird. Baron v. 

 Erlanger seems to have had but a single specimen from Tunisia 

 for comparison, and although I think it is quite possible he is right 

 in his separation, an examination of further material is no doubt 

 necessary before the question can be satisfactorily settled. 



Family FALCONIDiE. 



CIRCUS iERUGINOSUS (Linn^us). 



MARSH-HARRIER. 



Falco seruginosus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 130 (1766) ; Malherbe, Cat. 

 Eais. d'Ois. Alg. p. 7 (1846). 



Circus seruginosus, Savigny, Si/st. Ois. dc I'Egypte, iCc, p. 30 (1810) ; 

 Sharpe, Gat. Birds Brit. Mus. 1, p. 69 ; Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, 

 p. 82 (1867) ; Koenig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 160 ; id. J. f. 0. 1892, 

 p. 348 ; Whitaker, Ibis, 1896, p. 98 ; Erlanger, J. f. 0. 1898, p. 435. 



C. rufus, Malherbe, Cat. Bais. d'Ois. Alg. p. 7 (1846). 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from North Tunisia. 



Entire crown and nape creamy-white, tinged here and there with rufous 

 aud slightly striated with brown ; back and scapulars chocolate-brown ; 

 primaries blackish-brown ; secondaries and larger wing-coverts grey ; tail 



