34 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



moderate, with the outer one longer than the inner ; the 

 claws long, slender, and acute. 



49. Circus Swainsonii, Smith, Af. Zooi, P . 162 ; 



G. Superciliaris, Id., S. Af. Q. J., p. 385 ; C. Palidus, 

 Sykes ; Gould's B. of Eur., PL 34 ; C. Dalmaticus, 

 Riipp. 



ABOVE ash-grey, clouded with yellowish-grey ; front, upper 

 tail- co verts, shoulders, and all the under parts white ; throat 

 and breast tinted pearl-grey, sometimes streaked with rufous. 

 Tail- co verts barred with yellowish-brown. Upper side of 

 tail faintly barred with brown ; lower sides white, obscurely 

 barred. Figure long and slender. The bill strongly hooked ; 

 the cere covered with bristles ; tail long, slightly rounded. 

 The young much resemble C. Ranivorus, but is more distinctly 

 striped on the breast. Length, 17 J" ; wing, 10" ; tail, 9J". 



Its food consists of small quadrupeds, reptiles, birds, &c. ; prefers a 

 low damp locality, and has a wide range in South Africa. Smith says 

 he has seen a few specimens near Cape Town, Natal, the Mouth of the 

 Orange River, and the Tropic of Capricorn. Mr. Jackson sends it 

 from Joel's Poort, and I have shot it near the Observatory, Cape Town, 

 in company with C. Ranivorus. 



50. Circus Cinerascens, Montagu ; 



Cinerascens, Temm. ; Buteo Cinerascens, Jen. ; The 

 Ash-coloured Harrier; Circus Montaguii, VieilL ; 

 Gould's B. of Eur., PL 35. 



<5 GENERAL colour of upper parts, neck, and breast light 

 bluish-grey ; the quill-feathers of the wings inclining to 

 black; belly and thighs white, the latter with the flanks 

 longitudinally streaked with bright rufous. Tail pearl-grey 

 above, white beneath, the inner webs obscurely barred. Two 

 outermost feathers on each side barred with rufous, which is 

 deepest on the basal part of the feathers. Irides, legs, and 

 feet fine yellow. Length, 17" ; wing, 14 J" ; tail, 9". 



p General colour umber-brown above ; below pale rufous- 

 yellow, faintly streaked along the shaft of each feather with 

 a darker tint ;_ collar round the neck rufous. Outer tail- 

 feathers white, the rest barred distinctly white and brown. 

 A young female shot by myself on the Cape Flats is very 

 dark-brown above, many of the feathers being edged with 

 bright rufous ; below bright rufous, streaked with black. 

 The ash-coloured harrier is rare in South Africa. Mr. Atmore 



