Mr. Layard's * Birds of South Africa.' 143 



sion he saw a pair of these Kestrels ineffectually endeavouring 

 to drive away two Crows of this species from a nest in a willow- 

 tree, which Mr. Ayres beheves that the Kestrels had built. 

 Whichever of the rival claimants were the builders of the nest, the 

 Crows were its ultimate occupants, three young Crows having 

 been taken out of it about a month after the contest above 

 related. 



34. AviciDA VERREAUxi, Lafr. South-African Pern. 

 AviciDA MADAGASCARiENSis (A. Smith). Madagascar 



Pern. 



35. Pernis apivorus (Linn.). European Pern. 

 Mr.Layard includes Buteo madagascar-iensis, A. Smith, amongst 



the synonyms of Pernis apivorus ) but it is a very distinct bird, 

 nearly allied to, though not identified with, Avicida verreauxi 

 {Cf. Ibis, 1864, p. 357). Whether this last-named species is 

 identical with A. cuculoides of West Africa, is a point upon which 

 I am unable to ofier an opinion, not having seen the West-African 

 bird, but I think it quite possible that Mr. Layard may be right 

 in uniting them ; for, although Dr. Hartlaub treats them as 

 distinct (Orn. Westafr. p. 10), he does not appear to speak very 

 positively on the point. 



36. MiLvus MIGRANS (Bodd.). Black Kite. 



Under the name of M. ater (Gmel.), which yields in priority 

 to that above given, Mr. Layard treats this Kite as identical 

 with M. govinda and M. affinis ; but they form three distinct 

 species, of which the fii'st only occurs in Africa. The specimen 

 of M, migrans killed at Colesberg was shown to me by Dr. 

 Sclater, and is the most southern example of that Kite which 

 I have seen. It has however occurred in Madagascar (Ibis, 

 1863, p. 337). 



39. AsTUR MELANOLEUCUS, A. Smith. Black-and-white 

 South-African Gos-Hawk. 



Both sexes of this species seem, when adult, to be liable to a 

 melanism, which is figured by Sir A. Smith (111. Zool. S. Afr., 

 Aves, pi. 18, fig. A) . I have already made iJome remarks on this 

 subject (Ibis, 1864, p. 357); but it is one in respect of which 

 further observation and investigation are much to be desired. 



