528 MOTES. 



Siberia had the under surface of the wings either entirely- 

 white, or white barred Avith grey, instead of the uniform deep 

 tint which is found in European examples, and he proposed to 

 distinguish them hs var. amurensis. 



This same species next turned up in South Africa, and the 

 following note by Mr. Grurney (Ibis, 1868) contains much 

 interesting matter in regard to the two species : — 



" Erythropus amurensis, (Radde,) Falco vespertinus, var. 

 amurensis, Radde, Reisen II., p. 102, tab. I., fig. 2 ; Ibis, 1866, 

 p. 119; Eastern Red-footed Hobby. Iris hazel; eyelids and 

 bare skin, oi'ange ; bill, dark orange ; black at the tip ; tarsi 

 and feet, dark orange. 



" The examples from South-east Africa appear to me to be 

 specifically identical with specimens of both sexes in the 

 Norwich Museum obtained in Northern China, consisting of a 

 male and female from Yoon Ying, near Pekin, and of two 

 males from the neighbourhood of Taiien Bay. 



" The question whether the Red-footed Hobby of India 

 belongs to the present species, or to its Western congener, 

 Erythropus vespertinus, is one which, in the absence of Indian 

 specimens, I am unable to decide, and to which I would beg 

 the attention of ornithologists resident in that country (Ibis, 

 1866, p. 119). 



" Of the specific distinction between E. amurensis and E. 

 vespertinus I cannot entertain the slightest doubt. The adult 

 male of the former differs from that of the latter, in having 

 the under wing-coverts of a pure white, instead of a slaty 

 black, as well as in the slightly darker colouring of its upper 

 parts. The female of E. amurensis differs from the female of 

 the other species in the absence of rufous colouring on the 

 head, neck, and under parts, except the thighs and under tail- 

 coverts, which are rufous in it, as in the female of E. 

 vespertinus, and also excepting a very slight rufous tinge on the 

 sides of the neck and throat, and on the under wing-coverts, near 

 the carpal joint. The plumage of all the under parts in the 

 female of E. amurensis, excepting that of the throat (which is 

 pure white), the thighs, and the under tail-coverts is strongly 

 marked with ovate and sagitate spots of dark slaty black on a 

 white ground, which markings assume a transverse form on 

 the under wing-coverts and lower flank feathers, and produce a 

 general appearance of the under parts considerably resembling 

 the front view of the adult Common Hobby ( Flypotriorchis 

 suhbuteo)." 



Mr. Grurney adds in Epist: — 



