G20 Lieut. C. G. Fincli-Davies on [Ibis, 



useful in killing off rats and mice, besides locusts and other 

 harmful insects ; but few farmers acknowledge its useful- 

 ness, while they accuse it, as they do ever}'^ other hawk, of 

 destroying their chickens. In my experience it lives almost 

 entirely on small mammals and insects, and I do not 

 remember to have ever seen one kill a bird of any kiiul, 

 while most small birds appear to have little fear of it. 

 When breeding it is very bold and fearless in the defence 

 of its nest, and will dash out and drive away any large 

 bird that is approaching. In general habits it almost 

 exactly resembles our English Kestrel, but I do not 

 tliink it hovers so much as that species when hunting, but 

 takes up a position on some telegraph-pole or large rock or 

 tree from which to look out for its prey. 



Judging by an examination of numerous specimens, it 

 would appear that the full adult plumage is assumed some- 

 what gradually, the grey head often shewing a shading 

 of brown in immature specimens, and immature males often 

 shewing traces of bars on the grey tail. 



53. Tinimnculus rupicolus rhodesi, sul)sp. nov, Matopo 

 Kestrel. 



Similar to T. rupicolus rupicolus, but much smaller and 

 ])aler in colour both above and below, and differing especially 

 in the dark spots on the upper surface being much reduced 

 in size : on the upper mantle they are mere pin-points, 

 while in the male type they are altogether wanting from 

 the smaller lesser wing-coverts. 



This race, which I have named after the late Mr. Cecil 

 Rhodes, whose grave lies in the hills which the bird fre- 

 qiientSj app; ars to be very distinct. The type specimens, 

 an adult (^ and ? , in the Albany Museum, Grahamstown, 

 are from the Matopo Hills, Rhodesia. I have also examined 

 another adult $ from Bulawayo, in the Rhodesian Museum. 

 1 have com [tared these specimens with a large series from 

 other parts of South Africa, and the distincHons I have 

 noted are very noticeable, especially the small measure- 

 ments and the remarkably small size of the spots. I gi\ e 



