28 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



thigh-bone, the thighs themselves being of the same colour, 

 mottled with white. Her length is 2U" ; wing, 13" 9'"; 

 tail, 12". 



Among the many good things sent to the Museum by Mr. Jackson, 

 of Nel's Poort, appeared a young individual (9) of this rare bird. 

 While staying with him during the month of December 1863, I saw, 

 just out of gunshot, a bird which I feel sure was the adult specimen. 

 Mr. J. informed me that he had frequently seen a similar bird, but 

 could never get within range of it. 



Mr. Atmore writes that his birds had proved very destructive to 

 poultry in their neighbourhood. Their nest, in a large tree, contained 

 three young birds, and an egg just hatching. 



Genus ACCIPITER, Brisson. 



Bill very short, with the culmen much arched to the tip, 

 which is acute ; the sides much compressed, and the lateral 

 margins festooned ; the nostrils placed anteriorly in the cere, 

 large and sub-oval, partly concealed by the projecting hairs 

 of the lores. Wings moderate; with the fourth and fifth 

 quills nearly equal and longest. Tail long, ample, and 

 nearly square at the end. Tarsi longer than the middle toe, 

 covered in front with nearly obsolete scales. Toes more or 

 less lengthened, and padded beneath the joints ; the lateral 

 ones unequal ; and the inner and hind toes equal in length, 

 and both with a strong curved claw. 



40. Acdpiter TachirO. (Daud.) Accipiter Poly- 

 zonus, Lesson., Tr. d'Orn., p. 58 ; Astur Zonarius, 

 Tern., PL, Col. 377, 420; Hartl, O.W., p. 15; Ac. 

 Tachiro, Auct. (the young) ; Le Tachiro, Le V., PL 24. 



ABOVE uniform ashy-brown ; throat whitish, finely rayed 

 transversely with brown ; anterior part of neck, breast, and 

 belly dull white, regularly rayed with transverse brown, or 

 pale rufous bars ; vent and under tail-coverts white, with 

 some fine transverse brown lines ; wing-feathers light-brown, 

 banded with dark-brown, inner vanes marked with white 

 towards the quills. Tail long ; beneath ash-white, with trans- 

 verse brown bands ; above brown, with darker bands ; tips 

 white. Length, 15" ; wing, 8" 3'" ; tail, 7J*. 



YOUNG BIRD. Above brown, each feather margined with 

 rufous, and usually with white at the base; beneath pale 

 Isabella colour, with numerous large oval dark-brown 

 blotches ; thigh transversely barred. Legs yellow. 



I have received specimens of the young bird from several of my 

 correspondents, who tell me it is not uncommon in the forest districts ; 



