FALCONIDJS. 31 



that these three local races, though unquestionably very nearly 

 allied, are constantly distinguishable, and may therefore be cor- 

 rectly treated as specifically distinct ; as regards the two former, 

 Mr. Blanford's observations in his ' Geology and Zoology of 

 Abyssinia/ p. 294, may be consulted with advantage*. 



In Mr. Andersson's notes in the ' Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society' for 1864, there is an accidental error at page 4 as to 

 the nomenclature of this species, which I have already explained 

 under the head of Melierax polyzonus. ED.] 



39. Accipiter minilllus (Baud.). Mimille Sparrow-Hawk. 

 Le Minutte, Levaillant's Ois. d'Afr. pi. 34 (immature). 

 Accipiter mlnullus, Gurney, Birds Damar., Pr. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 2. 



Andersson, ibid. p. 4. 



Layard's Cat. No. 42. 



Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 392. 



To the best of my recollection I have never met with 

 this bird either in Damara or Great Namaqua Land, 

 though I have observed it sparingly in the Lake-regions 

 and near the river Okavango. Notwithstanding its dimi- 

 nutive size, it is a bold and fearless bird, more especially 

 during the time of incubation, when it will unhesitatingly 

 face enemies more than twice or three times its own 

 size, and is much assisted in its attacks by the swiftness 

 of its flight. A curious incident occurred to myself \/ 

 which will serve to illustrate its daring and recklessness ; 

 I was crouching on the ground near a water-hole in the 

 desert for the purpose of securing such birds as might 

 come there to quench their thirst, when a Hawk of this 

 species perched on a dry tree in my neighbourhood, but 

 out of range of my gun ; suddenly it left its perch and 



* Some valuable remarks on the differences between these three species 

 will be found in Messrs. Sharpe and Dresser's article on Accipiter brevipes in 

 their excellent work on the Birds of Europe. 



