612 Lieut. C. G. Finch-Davies on [Ibis, 



41. Biiteo desertorum (Daud.). Steppe Buzzard. 



I have met with this species practically evervwliere that 

 I have collected in South Africa, with the exception of the 

 coastal districts of eastern Pondoland. Although si;pposed 

 only to occur in South Africa during the summer months, 

 I have occasionally seen specimens in tlie winter, and I 

 believe it sometimes breeds in South Africa. AVhen 

 stationed on the Natal border of eastern Pondolaud, near 

 the Ingela mountains, a pair used to frequent the nc igh- 

 bourliood of our camp, and, juflging by their behaviour, 

 I am cert;iiu tliat they were breeding, although I never 

 succeeded in finding their nest : this was in June. I have 

 nothing of any inteiest to record of the habits of this 

 species. It is usually to be seen perched in some con- 

 spicuous ])osition, such as a tall tree, fence, or telegraph- 

 pole, on the look out for its prey, which consists for the 

 most part of mice aiul rats and young birds ; it will also 

 take chickens. 



Like most of the Buzzard family it is very variable in 

 plumage, not so much in the juvenile, but principalU'^ in 

 the adult dress. There ap[)ear to be two extreme forms of 

 ])lumage, with intermediate phases ; these may be called 

 the dark brown form and the red form. Among the very 

 large sejies in the Transvaal Museum there are two inter- 

 esting specimens, showing these two extreme forms very 

 well. A male from Grahamstown is of an almost uniform 

 deep rufous colour below, slightly mottled here and there 

 witli paler colour and with a few streaks of dark brow^n ; 

 the tail bright rufous, with the usual bars. Another, a 

 specimen labelled ? , but piobably J" , from the Woodbush, 

 Transvaal, is almost uniform deep brown below, mottled 

 very slightly here and there with white and tawny rufous; 

 breast and thiglis uniform dark brown ; the tail dark grey, 

 tinged with rufous at the edges of the feathers, and barred 

 as usual with black. Some specimens again, perhaps not 

 very old i)irds, have a good deal of white on the under 

 parts, usunlly forming a sort of band across the lower 

 breast. 



