384 A. Description of the Birds 



tail coverts white, under ones black, with some narrowly tipt 

 with white. Tail nearly even, black, with four transverse 

 bands of dark bluish gray, and the tips of all the feathers 

 grayish white ; the vanes close to quills pure silky white. 

 Legs and toes yelloxv ; claws black. Length from bill to base 

 of tail ten inches; length of latter nine and a half inches. 



Female.— Size rather greater than that of the male, and the 

 prevailing color is more of a dull blackish brown. 



Young. — Bill and cere as in mature specimens; front black- 

 ish brown; crown and part of nape light rufous, variegated 

 with brownish black streaks or clouds : back of neck an uni 

 form brownish black; shoulders, wing coverts, and scapulars, 

 brownish black, broadly tipt with pale rufous or tawny white ; 

 chin, throat, breast, and belly, tawny rufous ; the two first 

 with brownish streaks or spots, the third clouded by brownish 

 blotches, and the last slightly marked by longitudinal brown 

 streaks. Quill feathers with the gray less clear, with the 

 tips tawny white, but otherwise as in old specimens. Tail 

 blackish brown, with three distinct white transverse bands, 

 besides the bases and tips of all the feathers being white. 

 Legs and toes dirty yellow. 



This bird frequents marshy damp grounds in the vicinity of 

 Cape Town, as well as along both the eastern and western 

 coasts. It feeds upon mice, rats, frogs, and lizards, and in 

 quest of those it skims slowly along close to the surface of the 

 ground. It builds its nest sometimes in low bushes in the 

 vicinity of swamps, but more generally amongst rushes or 

 reeds in the middle of marshes ; constructs it externally of 

 dried twigs, rushes, &c. ; internally of wool and hair ; and 

 lays from three to four eggs. 



Obs. — In very young specimens of this bird, the whole of 

 the under parts are nearly of an uniform tawny tinge ; but as 

 the plumage developes itself, the throat and breast exhibit dark 

 brown variegations, and in proportion as it advances in age, 

 those become more distinct, and also appear on the belly. 

 In many specimens irregular white spots are observed on the 

 latter, and many of the feathers are also narrowly tipt with 

 white. In some old birds the transverse bands of the tail are 

 pure silky white, instead of gray. 



Circus Swainsonii. 



C. supra argenleus; subtus albus ; remigibus nigro-cceruleiis j 

 rectricibus lateralibus albis, fasciis transversis irregularilms 

 notatis ; mediis, canis fasciis obscuris transversis variegatis ; 

 tarsis fluvis ; rostro nigro. 



JBiil black ; cere yellow ; eyes ; front nearly pure 



white; head, neck, back, rump, and shoulders light grayish 



