Ornithology of Gilgit. 421 



hardly two specimens are alike ; but certainly the oldest bird 

 is the palest in the series, and has the tail salmon-coloured, 

 with only traces of imperfect bars near the tip. Captain 

 Wardlaw-Ramsay's interesting discovery of a nestling of this 

 species in the melanistic phase of plumage (Ibis, 1880, p. 47), 

 effectually disposes of the view that the darkest examples are 

 only old birds. 



18. BuTEO PLUMIPES, Hodgs. 



This Buzzard is found in small numbers about Gilgit from 

 December to the end of March. A female, shot on the 23rd 

 February, measured— length 19 inches, wing 15-8, tail 9-8, 

 tarsus 2-6, bare portion of tarsus in front 1, bill from gape I'G ; 

 weight 1 lb. 15 oz. ; iris drab ; tail with mottling and traces 

 of imperfect barring near the shafts of the feathers only. 

 Another female, shot on the 21st March, measured— length 

 21 inches, wing 16, tail 9-6, tarsus 27, bare portion of tarsus 

 in front 1 ; iris hair-brown ; tail barred. Both these spe- 

 cimens are in the phase of plumage to which the title of Buteo 

 japonicus is usually applied. 



19. Circus cyaneus (Linn.). 



The Hen-Harrier is a winter visitor, arriving in the last 

 week of September and leaving early in May. Immature 

 males, in the plumage of the female, and adults of both sexes 

 have the irides yellow; the immature female has the iris 

 hazel-brown. 



20. Circus macrurus (Gmel.). 



This species must, I think, be considered a winter visitor, 

 appearing at the end of August, and leaving about the middle 

 of May. I have shot it in Gilgit early in January, and ob- 

 served it throughout the winter of 1879-80. Like Circus 

 cyaneus, in this species the adults of both sexes and the im- 

 mature male have the irides bright yellow, while the imma- 

 ture female has the iris dark brown. 



21. Circus ciNERACEUS (Mont.). 



This Harrier passes through Gilgit on migration, being 

 fairly common from the third week in March to the first week 



SER. IV. VOL. V. ^^ 



