270 
as it is found generally in North Africa, from Mogador to 
Egypt; and it also occurs in Huropean Turkey, i in Southern 
Russia on the Vole ga, at Smyrna, at Erzeroum, in Madras, and 
in Nepal. 
The Indian specimens which I have seen, and also that from 
Erzeroum, are less rufous and more chocolate coloured, especi- 
ally on the under parts, than more western specimens. ‘This 
darker form of colouring, would seem to be as worthy of specific 
distinction, as the paler breasted race of South Africa, and it 
has been figured and described, as distinct, by Mr. Jerdon, in his 
‘Tilustrations of Indian Ornithology,’ (pl. 27,) under the title 
of Buteo rufiventer. 
M. Des Murs well remarks, that Buteo Cirtensis is closely 
allied to the large rufous Buzzard of North Eastern Africa, 
South Eastern Europe and Asia.” 
The present species, (I mean the Indian race,) so far as I 
yet know, is confined to the Neilgherries, and the Himalayas. 
A very large number of specimens from the Himalayas, have 
passed through my hands, and though I have never shot one 
myself, the bird appears to be not uncommon anywhere in 
these Hills from Murree to Darjeeling. 
In size, they appear to differ little from the common Buzzard 
of Europe, though their form seems somewhat slenderer, but 
the wings which reach to or very near to, the end of the tail, 
are proportionally longer I think. Unfortunately, European 
writers as a rule, give very few dimensions, and I cannot there- 
fore be sure in regard to this latter point. 
Mr. Yarrell gives the wing of the female Kuropean Buzzard, 
at 14°37 inches; those of two specimens in my collections mea- 
sure 15 and 15:1, and of two in Colonel T'ytler’s, 16°25 and 15, 
while the wings of the present species, measure from 15°5 in 
males, up to 17°0 in females. Dr. Bree, whose figure, tolerably 
well accords with some of my specimens, gives the wing as only 
14:5, but none of the numerous Indian examples that I have 
examined, have had the wings so short. I note that Dr. Bree 
correctly represents, (p. 97, Vol. I.) the wings as reaching to 
the end of the tail; while in Jerdon’s figure (above referred to) 
they are drawn out of position, the carpal joint beg advanced 
too high upon the neck, and the tips of the wings falling consl- 
derably short of the end of the tail. 
Besides the greater length of wing, this species appears to 
differ from the common Buzzard, in the prevailing rufous cha- 
racter of its under surface. There is often a yellow tinge in 
these parts, in B. Vulyaris, and the tibial and tarsal plumes are 
banded reddish, but in no specimen of the common Buzzard 
