1920.] On South African Accipitres. 409 



XII. — Notes on South African Accipitres. 

 By Lieut. C. G. Finch-Daviks, 1st S.A.M.R. 



In submitting the following notes on the South African 

 Birds of Prey, I do so knowing that the}^ are far from being 

 perfect ; but at the same time I hope that something of 

 interest will be found in tiiem, and that they will lead 

 ornithologists who may have better op[)ortunities than I 

 have, to inquire into and elucidate some of the questions that 

 I have raised. I am aware that there have been numerous 

 clianges made in the nomenclature of the group; and as 1 

 have not had access to all the literature in this connexion, 

 I have thought it best to adhere, for the most part, to the 

 old names, and the arrangement followed by the late 

 Mr. J, H. Gurney in his 'List of the Diurnal Bird- 

 of Prey.' 



The Accipitres appear to have been somewhat neglected 

 in recent years by modern ornithologists, and there is no 

 doubt that this Order is in need of critical examination and 

 rearrangement, while many genera will have to be split np 

 at least into subgenera. I have, however, not attempted 

 anything of that sort in this place, partly because I do not 

 feel myself competent to do so, not having sufficient material 

 at my command, and partly because Mr. A. Roberts of the 

 Transvaal Museum, in a letter to me, has informed me that 

 he has in hand a review of the South African species, and 

 judging from a brief summary which he has sent me, it would 

 appear that he proposes to make a good many changes in 

 nomenclature, both as regards species and genera. 



The notes on habits and plumage-changes are all from 

 my own personal experience ; and if they appear somewhat 

 meagre, I must ask to be forgiven, for the reason that 

 during twenty-five years' soldiering in South Africa, most 

 of the time in the ranks, I have been unable to keep 

 copious notes, and even those that I have made from time 

 to time have for the most part been lost. During tiie last 

 few years I have been devoting special attention to this 



