382 A Description of the Birds 



regular transverse bands, and the edges of the inner vanes 

 white. Tail moderately long, slightly rounded, of a dirty 

 grayish color, with ten or more narrow waved transverse 

 blackish brown bands ; tip of each feather dirty reddish white. 

 Legs and toes greenish yellow ; claws black. Length from 

 bill to base of tail eleven inches; length of latter seven 

 inches and a quarter. Wings, when folded, as long as the tail. 



Young. Above brown, verging towards blackish brown, 

 with the bases of the feathers, of at least the head and neck, 

 white ; below brownish red, with the shafts of the feathers 

 black ; chin with a slight mottling of white. Primary and 

 secondary quill feathers as in adult specimens. Tail feathers 

 grayish, on outer vanes crossed by many waved or oblique 

 narrow blackish bands ; on inner vanes reddish white, or red- 

 dish brown, with similar black bands ; tips of all the feathers 

 dirty reddish yellow. Legs and toes greenish yellow ; claws 

 black ; bills black, with yellow in the same situations as in the 

 old bird, but neither so extensive nor so brilliant. Tail 

 brownish gray, with the inner vanes crossed by eight^or ten 

 transverse tawny or reddish white bands ; tips light reddish 

 brown or dirty tawny. 



Inhabits the whole of South Africa, but is much more 

 scantily distributed than the first described species of this 

 genus. When on the wing, the two have a considerable 

 resemblance to each other, but they are readily to be distin- 

 guished by the smaller size of the present species. 



Obs. Like the other birds of this genus, the Tachard ex- 

 hibits much variety of colouring, and it is very seldom that 

 any two specimens are found which exactly resemble each 

 other. The markings on the breast and belly, and the colors 

 of the tail, are what exhibit most varieties in the bird just 

 described. In some the belly and breast are almost divested 

 of spots, and exhibit nearly an uniform white color ; while in 

 others both of those parts, and even the throat, are densely 

 covered with streaks or roundish blotches, when but little 

 difference appears to exist in the ages of the individuals. In 

 most instances the tail is grayish brown, banded with blackish 

 brown, yet in not a few is it deep chesnut or bright rufous, 

 and distinctly banded transversely by numerous black lines, 

 when no reason exists for considering them as not of equal 

 years. In the majority of individuals of this species, whatever 

 may be the color of the lower parts, the legs, in general, are 

 reddish brown, but in some they are occasionally found ex- 

 hibiting a white ground, variegated by brownish spots or 

 longitudinal streaks. 



BUTEO DESERTORUM. 



Falco Desertorum, Daud. t Shaw. Latham. Le Eongri, Le 

 Vattlant,voll,pL17. 

 [46] 



