107 
according to Mr. Hewitson’s figures, the eggs measure 1:48 
and 1°59 by 1:2. 
Of its breeding about Talien bay, N. China, Mr. Swinhoe 
had a note in the Ibis for 1861, he said—* This handsome little 
bird-slayer was not unfrequently met with flying along over- 
head or hovering, poised in air. Judging from the contents of 
the stomachs of two I procured, I should say it committed 
considerable havoc among the Larks and other field birds. It 
certainly caused considerable consternation whenever it appeared 
among them. I had an opportunity of observing the nest of 
this species twice ; one was placed amongst the topmost boughs 
of a willow, the other in the leafy foliage of some umbrageous 
tree. The nests are large and round, and built of sticks; 
resembling somewhat those of the Magpie. When the old 
birds visited the nest, the young set up a chattering cry.” It 
seems probable, however, that the bird here referred to, is Z. 
Amurensis and not Erythropus (verus). 
Mr. Blyth, in commenting on Dr. Jerdon’s work remarked 
“the rufous plumage of the adult female of this species, was un- 
known to Dr. Jerdon. In confinement, this species and _Z. 
Cenchris do not thrive upon meat, but must be fed on a mixed 
diet, like that commonly given to small insectivorous birds. Dr. 
Jerdon, it will be observed, agrees with me in referring F. 
Cenchris and FE. Vespertinus to the same minimum division. I 
cannot help thinking, that all naturalists who are familiar with 
the living birds, must needs be of the same opinion. These two 
little white clawed Kestrelets only visit lower Bengal during the 
rainy season (so far as I have observed), and the same remark 
apples to Baza Lophotes.”’ The editor of the Ibis in a note to 
this, pointed out that it would be interesting to ascertain whe- 
ther the Indian bird was true Vespertinus, the Western form, or 
Amurensis, the Hastern form, with light coloured under surface 
to the wings. 
The history of this so-called Hastern form is this : Van Rodde, 
in the 2nd volume of his Reisen in suden von ost Siberien, men- 
tioned that the red-footed Hobbies from Hastern Siberia, had the 
under surface of the wings either entirely white, or white barred 
with grey, instead of the uniform deep tint which is found in 
Kuropean examples, and he proposed to distinguish them as 
var. Amurensis. 
This same species, next turned up in South Africa, and the 
following note by Mr. Gurney (Ibis, 1868) contains much inter- 
esting matter in regard to the two species. 
“ Krythropus Amurensis (Radde,) Falco Vespertinus, var. Amu- 
rensis, Kadde, Reisen II. p. 102 tab. I. fig. 2 ; bis, 1866, p. 119 ; 
