386 A Description of the Birds 



broadly banded brown and reddish tawny, middle ones brown- 

 ish black, with irregular tawny bands or blotches ; the tips of 

 all the feathers reddish white ; tarsi and toes yellow ; claws 

 black. 



Inhabits Namaqualand and the country about Oliphant's 

 Biver, as well as various parts on the eastern coast of the 

 Colony. Of this species I have only met with two specimens, 

 and as both of them had the tips of many of the feathers on 

 the back, of a color distinctly differing from the prevailing 

 one, I am disposed to consider neither of them as birds ar- 

 rived at complete maturity. I should not be surprised if far- 

 ther observation may enable us to identify this with the last 

 described species. 



CIRCUS ACOLI. Witte valk. LeeuwerJcvanger. 



Falco Acoli. Daudin, Shaw. L'Acoli, Le Vaillant, torn. 1, 

 pi. 31. 



C. supra cceruleo-griseus, subtus subalbidus pectore, dbdo- 

 mine etfemoribus nigro lineatis. 



Male. Bill horn-colored towards base, bluish black towards 

 tip ; cere red ; eyes orange red ; color of plumage above pale 

 bluish gray; beneath whitish, with the breast, belly, and 

 thighs, finely rayed transversely with black ; body slender ; 

 legs long ; tail nearly even, and of a dirty brownish white 

 tint ; shafts reddish brown ; legs and toes* yellowish ; claws 

 black. 



Female. A third larger than the male, and the cere of a 

 less deep red. 



This species, according to Le Vaillant, occurs in Zwartland, 

 and about the Twenty -four Rivers. It feeds upon mice, rats, 

 lizards, &c. has a quick flight, and commonly soars along close 

 to the ground, over cultivated lands and sandy deserts. The 

 male and female are for the most part observed together ; 

 and the latter constructs her nest in small bushes, and lays 

 four dirty white oval eggs. 



Obs. Having never met with this bird myself, I include it 

 solely upon the authority of the naturalist just quoted, whose 

 imperfect description I have introduced ; and, great as the 

 authority is, I cannot refrain from stating a doubt as to the 

 existence of such a species : being disposed to consider it as 

 the Accipiter Musicus, immediately before moulting. 



CIRCUS EANIVORUS. Hehvorsvanger of the Colonists. 



Falco Ranivorus, Daudin, Shaw. Le Grenouillard, Le 

 Vaillant, torn. 1, pi. 22. 



C. supra brunneus, rubro-albo variegatm, humeris nigro-brun- 



