1920.] South African Accip'itres. 613 



42. Buteo augur (Rupp.). Augur Buzzard. 



This is a rare species in South Africa, and, so far as I am 

 aware, has only been recorded from Mashonaland and the 

 South-West Protectorate. In tlie latter country I met with 

 it for the first time, and only in the mountainous country 

 in the AYindhuk district. There I found it not very un- 

 common, and from what I have observed of its habits, 

 it appears to exactly resemble the Jackal Buzzard [Buteo 

 jakal). It is found in the same kind of country, and has 

 just the same flight and cry. I found two nests, both in 

 the same sort of position, i.e. built in the forks of small 

 trees standing out from steep mountain-sides, which in 

 shape and composition exactly resembled nests of B. jakal. 

 They Avere composed of sticks, lined Mith grass, a little 

 sheep's wool, and a few green leaves. One was empty, but 

 as the owners were flying round in a rather excited manner, 

 I expect they were about to lay. The other, found on the 

 4th of June, 1918, contained two eggs, which were much 

 incubated, of a rather rough chalky texture, subspherical in 

 shape, white in colour, sliglitly spotted with reddish brown, 

 and with large blotches of the same colour at the blunt end. 

 One I smashed in trying to extract tlie embryo ; the other 

 measures 63"5 x 53 nnn., and is now in the Transvaal 

 Museum. 



Claude Grant has discussed the various plumages of 

 this species very fully in ' The Ibls,^ 1915, and 1 have 

 nothing to add to the information given there, except to 

 note that I have never seen a specimen of the uniform black 

 form from South Africa, all I have met Avith having been 

 white-breasted birds. The young also have the under parts 

 white, streaked on the sides of tlie breast and flanks, and 

 slightly barred on the latter, with dark brown. 



43. Buteo jakal (Daud.). Jackal Buzzard. 



This is a common bird all over eastern Pondoland and 

 East Griqualand, and scarcely a day would pass in tliose 

 parts without several having been seen or heard, especiallv 

 heard, as it is a very noisy bird, particularly in the breeding 



