1919-] Hieraaiitus ayresi. 169 



Cape Town, Port Elizabeth Museum, Albany Museum in 

 Grahamstown, Natal Museum in Pietermaritzburg, and 

 Durban Museum, had specimens of L. lucani, and the 

 Directors oH these museums were most courteous in sending 

 the details, and in several cases specimens for examination. 

 I give details of these specimens below : — 



South African Museum, Cape Town. — One specimen, adult, 

 and presumably a female. Wing 16 inches. Collected at 

 Feira on the Zambezi by Dr. Stoehr, 26. ii. 1904. 



Transvaal Museum, Pretoria. — One specimen, adult female. 

 Wing 16 inches. Collected by Mr. C. H. Taylor at 

 Indhlovodwalile in Swaziland, 25.vii.06. I have examined 

 this specimen, which appears to be abnormal in more ways 

 than one. In colouring it appears to be melanistic, the 

 whole plumage being dark, especially on the underparts, 

 where the black markings predominate to such au extent 

 that the colour appears almost entirely black, varied with 

 white spots. So dark is the bird that it was originally 

 labelled Lophoaetus occipitalis. The dark bars on the tail 

 are somewhat distorted. The centre claw of each foot is 

 deformed, on one foot a mere vestige, on the other turned 

 up the wrong way ; it does not look as if this had been 

 caused by a trap. 



Albany Museum, Grahamstown. — One specimen, female 

 juv. Wing 16;^ inches. Collected in the Grahamstown 

 district. I have examined this specimen. 



Port Elizabeth Museum. — One specimen, female juv. 

 Wing 16 inches ; plumage somewhat worn. Shot in Port 

 Elizabeth district. I have examined this specimen. 



The Director in writing of this specimen notes : " in size 

 it agrees with H. pennatus, but the toes are nearly twice as 

 large.'* 



Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg. — From descriptions 

 sent me by the Director^ there would appear to be about 

 six specimens in the Museum collected in various parts of 

 Natal. Wing-measurements varying from 16^ to 15 inches, 



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