538 ELANUS PERNIS 



rufous and tipped with white, the tail dull ashy grey tipped with white ; 

 under parts white, the breast washed with rufous, and slightly streaked 

 with fulvous ; iris dull yellowish. 



Hob. The whole of Africa; of rare occurrence in Southern 

 Europe (Greece, Spain, Portugal, and France) ; has occurred in 

 Germany, Belgium, and has been said to have once been 

 obtained in Ireland ; Palestine ; South-western Asia, India, 

 Ceylon, and Burma. 



In habits it is said to somewhat resemble the Harriers ; it 

 inhabits well wooded cultivated districts, the borders of the 

 forest, groves, &c., and is to some extent crepuscular. It feeds 

 chiefly on insects, but also on small mammals. Its flight is 

 peculiar and varied, and reminds one somewhat of a Gull. In 

 North Africa it breeds in March or April and in India at 

 almost all seasons, and probably breeds twice in the year. 

 The nest is a loose structure of twigs, unlined, or sometimes 

 lined with grass, and is placed at some height in a tree. The 

 eggs, 3 to 4 in number, are white or yellowish white, richly 

 blotched with dark fox-red, and measure about T55 by 1*22. 



PERNIS, Cuvier, 1817. 



756. HONEY BUZZARD. 



PERNIS APIVORUS. 



Pernis apivorus (Linn.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 130 (1766) ; (Naum.), i. p. 367, 

 Taf. 35, 36 ; Hewitson, i. p. 40, pi. xv. ; Gould, B. of E. i. pi. 16 ; 

 id. B. of Gt. Brit. i. pi. 9 ; Newton, i. p. 121 ; Dresser, vi. p. 3, pis. 364, 

 365, 366 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. i. p. 344 ; Saunders, p. 339 ; 

 Lilforcl, i. p. 21, pis. 11, 12; P. a. orientalis, Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. 

 p. 50. 



BUM "boudrte, French ; Aguila de Moros, Span. ; Falco pecchia- 

 juolo, Ital, ; Wespenbussard, German ; Wespendief, Dutch ; 

 Hvepsevaage, Dan. ; Hvepsehog, Norweg. ; Itivrdk, Swed. ; 

 Mehilaishaukka, Finn. ; Osojed, Mishelovka-pchelojadnaya, Russ. ; 

 KhabciB el gram, Moor. 



$ ad. (Germany). Crown and sides of head pale ashy blue, nape 

 brownish ; upper parts dark earth-brown, the back tinged with grey ; 

 quills tipped with blackish brown ; tail greyish brown with dark brown 

 bands ; under parts white, the sides of the breast blotched with brown ; 

 bill blackish horn ; cere yellowish at base, otherwise blackish ; edge of 

 gape, legs, and iris yellow. Culmen T35, wing 15'8, tail ll'O, tarsus 2*0 inch. 

 The old female has the head and nape brown, the throat buffy whit e 



