HETEROSPIZIAS MERIDIONALIS. 63 



298. ANTENOR UNICINCTUS (Temm.). 

 (ONE-BANDED BUZZARD.) 



Asturina unicincta, Sunn. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 436 (Mendoza). Urubitinga 

 unicincta, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 119; Gibson, Ibis, 1879, p. 411 (Buenos 

 Ayres); Sahin, Ibis, 1880, p. 362 (Salta); Wilhington, Ibis, 1388, p. 4G9 

 (Lomas de Zamora). Antenor unicinctus, Ridyw. N. A. B. iii. p. 249 

 (1874). Erythrocnema unicincta, Sharpe, Cat. B. i. p. 85. 



Description. Above black, upper wing-coverts chestnut; upper tail- coverts 

 white ; tail black, concealed base and tip white : beneath black ; thighs deep 

 ferruginous ; crissura white : whole length 23'0 inches, wing 14'5, tail 9'5. 

 Female similar, but larger. 



Hab. North and South America. 



This is the Common Buzzard of the Plata region. It differs from the 

 species previously described in its greater length of wing, and in the 

 habit of flying near the ground when in search of prey ; resembling in 

 this respect a Harrier, only its flight is slower and more loitering. It 

 prefers an open country, but on the pampas, like all large Hawks, it 

 meets with great persecution from the ever-vigilant, fierce- tempered 

 Spur- winged Lapwing. I once saw one of these Buzzards, while being 

 so persecuted, make a conquest which greatly surprised me. It was 

 sailing over the plain, about twenty feet from the surface, harried by 

 several Lapwings, when suddenly, just as one Lapwing swept down- 

 wards past it in the usual way, apparently missing the head of the Hawk 

 with its sharp wing-spurs by a hair's breadth, the Buzzard struck at and 

 seized it in its claws and bore it to the ground. The screams of the 

 caotive and its fellows quickly brought to the spot a cloud of two or 

 three hundred Lapwings, all hovering and screaming their loudest. I 

 ran to the spot to aid in the rescue, when seeing me coming the Buzzard 

 rose heavily from the ground, still carrying the Plover, and flew away 

 beyond reach. 



299. HETEROSPIZIAS MERIDIONALIS (Lath.). 

 (BROWN BUZZAKD.) 



Urubitinga meridionalis, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 119; iid. P. Z. S. 1869, 

 p. 634 (Buenos Ayres) ; Salvin, Ibis, 1880, p. 362 (Salta). Heterospizias 

 meridionalis, Sharpe, Cat. B. i. p. 160 ; Barrows, Auk, 1884, p. 109 (Entre- 

 rios). Asturina rutilans, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 436 (Tucuman). 



Description. Above slaty grey, passing into ferruginous rufous on the head, 

 and blackish on the lower tail-coverts ; wing-feathers chestnut, with narrow 



