inhabiting the South of Africa. 115 



Obs. The colors described as marking the old birds, are 

 those most commonly met with, but it may be observed that 

 specimens obtained soon after the moulting season have a ches- 

 nut instead of a tawny tinge, and all the brown variegation 

 deeper and clearer. Though I have no direct reason for be- 

 lieving that the plumage described as that of an old male, is 

 only that of one of a middle age, yet from having witnessed 

 so much variety in the markings of birds in that stage, I think 

 it is not improbable that farther observations will prove the 

 mature color to be a little different. 



Genus. MORPHINUS. Cuvier. 



Rostrum supra convexum; 

 nares elliptici. Tarsi elevati, 

 subgraciles ; acrotarsia scutel- 

 lata. Digiti subbreves ; un- 



Beak convex above; nostrils 

 elliptic. Tarsi elevated, rather 

 slender; acrotarsia scutellated. 

 Toes rather short; claws acute. 



gues acuti. 



Spizaetus, Vieillot. 



MOEPHINUS ALBESCENS. 



Falco albescens, Shaw, vol. 7, p. 93. Le Blanchard, Le 

 Vaillant Ois Afriq. pi. 3. 



M. albescens ; cristatus ; supra fusco-flavescente varius ; cauda 

 nigra albo fasciata. 



Male. Bill lead colored ; eyes fine yellow ; head with a 

 small crest ; the whole plumage white, clouded with blackish 

 brown upon the mantle, and soft to the touch ; tail rayed 

 transversely black and white ; primary wing feathers with the 

 outer vanes brownish, and the inner ones rayed ; claws a 

 leaden color." Length about two feet six or eight inches. 



Female. " A third larger than the male." 



Young. As well as Le Vaillant could judge from two 

 young specimens which he found in a nest, the color of the 

 plumage is nearly that of the the old bird, excepting that the 

 brown is more abundant, and all the wing coverts are bor- 

 dered with reddish. When this species leaves the egg it is 

 covered with a tawny white down." 



Le Yaillant found this species in Autinequa land, and the 

 only two specimens which I have ever seen, occurred one in 

 the forest between the Sunday and Bushman Eivers, and the 

 other near Hermanus kraal, on the banks of the Great Fish 

 Eiver ; but neither of them was I able to procure. 



MORPHINTJS OCCIPITALIS. KuifJcop Valk of the Colonists. 



Falco Occipitalis, Daudin, Ois. 2, p. 40. Shaw, 7, p. 59. 

 Nisser Tokoor, Bruce, Le Huppard, Le Vaillant, Ois. Afr. pi. 2. 



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