285 
meant that the tarsi have no transverse scuta, we have here a 
difference, enabling us to separate Aquilinus at once, from Ferox. 
It is to be hoped, that naturalists at home will carefully re-ex- 
amine Mr. Hodgson’s specimen. 
No. 47. Buteo Plumipes, Honeson. 
? Buteo Japonicus (ScutuceL. Luna Japon. Aves, Tab. 
Vi et VII A.) 
Tue Harrier Buzzarp. 
This is another species of which we have no satisfactory 
knowledge. One single specimen exists in Mr. Hodgson’s col- 
lection, in the British Museum. The following are Mr. Blyth’s 
remarks on this species in the Ibis for 1866, 
** Mr. Hodgson’s specimen in the British Museum is certainly 
of a uniform dark brown ; but most Buzzards vary exceedingly 
in colour, and I see no reason why B. Japonicus should not be 
identified with B. plumipes, notwithstanding that Mr. Swinhoe 
expressly asserts, that the former never acquires the dark plu- 
mage, of the oviduct, of B. vulgaris (P. Z. 8. 1863, p. 260). 
Only that one specimen was procured by Mr. Hodgson ; so that 
undoubtedly, it must be considered an exceedingly rare straggler 
within the area of his researches. My B. pygmaeus (J. A. 8S. B. 
AIV. p. 217), which Dr. Jerdon thought was not unlikely to 
prove identical with p/umipes, is the same as Poliornis Poliogenys.” 
(Vide No. 48 Bis.) Dr. Jerdon, quoting, I suppose, though he 
does not say so, from Mr. Hodgson, (for he had never seen the 
bird,) remarks, that this is certainly an osculant form, having 
the bill and wings of a Circus, with the short feet of a Buzzard, 
but Mr. Blyth, more correctly, I think, demurs to any such 
osculant form, and says ‘This species I have never seen, but 
must confess to theoretical doubts, of its truly connecting Circus 
with Buteo; the latter genus and Aguila on the other hand, are 
very closely allied, in fact, but slight modifications of the same 
immediate subtype, and species of intermediate character, might 
have been looked for. 
