FALCONID^G ACCIPITEB 353 



of the rufous tinge to- the transverse bands of the under-parts and 

 in the markings on the under wing-coverts. It can also be 

 invariably distinguished by its long middle toe measuring 1-4 in 

 the male and !? in the female as against 1-0 in Astur 'polyzonoides. 



Distribution. This species was first obtained by Andersson in 

 Ovampoland (at Elephant's Vlei and on the Okavango river) ; thence 

 it extends to the Upper Zambesi (Bradshaw) to Mashonaland 

 (Marshall) and to the Nyasa-Tanganyka plateau in Nyasaland. 



Habits. Mr. G. A. K. Marshall tells me that he found this 

 species breeding on the Umfuli river in October, 1895 ; he sent the 

 female and two eggs to the late Dr. Bendelack Hewetson of Leeds. 



542. Accipiter melanoleucus. Slack Sparrow Hawk. 



Accipiter melanoleucus. Smith, S. A. Quart. Joiirn. i, p. 229 (1830); 



Sharpe, Cat. B. M. i, p. 156 (1874) ; id. ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 25 



(1875) ; Gurney, Ibis, 1875, p. 473; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 153 (1896); 



Reichenow, Vog. Afr. i, p. 556 (1901). 

 Astur melanoleucus, Smith, Illustr. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. 18 (1839) ; 



(.'rill, K. Vet.AJi-ad. Handl. StockJi. ii, no. 10, p. 49 (1858) [Knysna] ; 



(hn-nci/, Ibis, 1859, p. 241, 1861, p. 135, 1862, p. 155, 1834, p. 357 



[Natal] ; La yard, B. S. Afr. p. 27 (1867). 



Description. Adult male. Above, black with concealed white 

 bases to the nape feathers and scapulars ; wing-quills browner with 

 white spots on the inner webs below the notch ; tail with obscure 

 traces of three to four darker bands ; below, black throughout except 

 for the under surface of the wing- and tail-quills which are banded 

 black and white ; nearly all the feathers of the lower surface have 

 concealed white bases. 



Iris orange ; bill black ; cere and legs yellow-green. 



Length 19-5, in flesh 19-0; wing 11 to 12 ; tail 9'0; culmen 1-25 ; 

 tarsus 2 -8. 



The female is larger ; length 23 ; wing 12-7 ; tarsus 3'3. Before 

 reaching the black adult stage the black and white stage is passed 

 through in which the lower side of the body is white except for the 

 sides of the breast, flanks, and thighs, which are black slightly 

 variegated with white. 



A young bird is brown above, the head and neck strongly striped 



with rufous ; most of the feathers of the back have rufous edges, and 



the paler bands of the wing-quills and tail are tinged with rufous ; 



entire lower surface chestnut, the sides of the head and neck and the 



23 VOL. in. 



