oll 
The following were Mr. Swinhoe’s remarks in regard to this 
plate :— 
Le I observed a pair of Harriers beating over the rush-grown 
delta of the Tamsay river, about the gorge, in March. I watch- 
ed them for some time, but was unable to get within shot of 
them. ‘The male appeared of a pied plumage; but the female 
was brown. I concluded, therefore, that it must have been the 
species that prevails in the neighbourhood of Amoy, rather than 
the true C. Melanoleucus, Gmel., which ranges in Asia, from 
India to Peking, and which I have also seen from the Philip- 
pines; for Mr. Gurney tells me, that he is informed by Mr. 
Blyth that this latter species has, in the adult form, both sexes 
coloured alike. In the broad, flat, open country of the south 
west, near T'aiwanfoo, I observed another Harrier, which I took 
to be O. Cyaneus, L.; but of the species I cannot be sure, as it 
might have been one of two cognate forms which are hard to 
distinguish from it at a distance, except by a most experienced 
eye. These are the Pale Harrier (Circus Swainsoni, Smith) and 
the American Harrier (C. hudsonius, L.) The former of these 
has lately been procured by Captain Blakiston on the Yangtsze 
river ; and of the latter, specimens may be seen in the Leyden 
Museum, from the Philippines and Kamtschatka. 
“‘T procured no specimens of Harriers in Formosa ; but, as Mr. 
Gurney was anxious to have the Circus spilonotus figured, I 
have supplied a male and female from the neighbourhood of 
Amoy for that purpose. With reference to this species, Mr. 
Gurney writes, ‘I have just compared three male specimens of 
C. Spilonotus, with three males of C. IMelanoleucus, and enclose 
you the measurements, by which you will see that C. Spi/onotus 
considerably exceeds C. Melanoleucus in all its measurements ; 
in addition to which it has a much larger bill and stronger tarsi. 
In all these respects (as also in some degree in colouring) it 
approaches to an allied but still larger species, C. Assimilis, 
Gould, of Australia. Ido not think that C. Spilonotus ever 
assumes the black plumage which characterizes the head, neck, 
back, and a portion of the wings of the adult male of C. Mela- 
noleucus. I have not been able to compare your female of 
C. Spilonotus with a female of C. Melanoleucus, the only (sup- 
posed) female which I have of the latter, being an individual of 
the sex of which I do not feel sure. 
Total Length Wing from Tarsus. Middle toe 
(inches. ) Carpus. and claw. 
Circus Spilonotus & 
(5 specimens.) 22 23°75 17°25 17°75 3:37 = 2°75 
Circus Melanoleu- & 
cus (3 specimens 18 14-0) 1s:00: 62°37 | 2700’ 
