170 DR. J. J. KAUP ON NISI AND ASTURES. [Jail. 24, 



generic marks of other species ; and if the number and shape of 

 the emarginatious in Tachyspiza are generic, they must be generic 

 also in the others. 



In addition to these distinctions, I have taken into account the 

 shape and the markings of the tail ; for as yet I have not met with a 

 true Nisus having five emarginatious on the inner vane of the wings, 

 which at the same time had seven to twenty-four bars on its tail, 

 like the Uraspizce, which are confined to New Holland and the In- 

 dian archipelago. 



In consequence of these conclusions, the Sparrow-Hawks of New 

 Holland and India have been divided by me into the genera Tera- 

 spiza, Tachyspiza, Erythrospiza, and Uraspiza. 



In adopting these more limited genera there arises the great 

 advantage of being able to characterize the species easily and with 

 certainty in a few words, and one is not led astray by trifling 

 analogies to throw together species from different groups. x\e- 

 cording to my method only those really akin will be thrown to- 

 gether. 



Erythrospiza trinotata and Teraspiza minulla both have white 

 cross bars on the surface of the dark tail ; but it would be an error to 

 place the two together on this account. Nor would it be correct to 

 bring E. trinotata with its short toes into proximity with Accipiter 

 cruentus, which has also the shortest toes of its genus. 



The length of the middle toe or of the toes generally has only a 

 specific value in the Nisi, and not a generic one. 



If my friend Dr. Schlegel had compared carefully my diagnoses 

 of the genera Urasjnza with Accipiter cruentus, he would not have 

 considered Gould's Astur cruentus identical with his Nisus cruentus 

 seu yriseogularis. Schlegel's N. cruenttts has the second to the 

 sixth primaries of the outer vane and the first to the fifth of the 

 inner vane emarginated, whilst Gould's A. cruentus has the second to 

 the fifth of the outer vane and the first to the fourth of the inner 

 vane emarginated*. 



Teraspiza, Kp. 



Beak bent more abruptly than that of Nisus, and the concavity 

 behind the hook of the beak deeper, A space round the eyes more 

 naked, as in the noble Falcons. Point of wings very short, and equal 

 to three tenths of the length of the entire wing. Fourth primary 

 the longest ; the first to fourth primaries of the inner vane distinctly 

 emarginated ; the primaries with the inside always edged. Tail 

 with three bands above and four below. 



This genus includes the smallest forms of all the Nisi. 



* If the interior wide vanes of the primaries are in disorder owing to ill treat- 

 ment, and the emarginatious are not easily recognized, it is sufficient to count the 

 cuts of the outer vane, which are better protected. If the second to the sixth 

 primaries of the outer vane are emarginated, five emarginatious of the inner vane, 

 beginning from the first primary, will correspond to these. If it happens that 

 a specimen shows only four instead of five, the wing should be examined with 

 care, and it will be found that a feather has fallen out, or is still very small and 

 young, and is thus hidden underneath the quills of the adjoining feathers. 



