BIRDS OF UPPER PEGU. 35 



of the lesser coverts are white, only one or two black ones are 

 intermingled just at the joint, the whole shoulder being- white, 

 and I have other specimens from other localities precisely similar, 

 and thus agreeing in this respect with Mr. Gould's bird, which, 

 whether it be the adult male of spilonotus or not, cannot possibly, 

 with a wing 15" 5, be an adult male of our Indian melanoleucus. 



54.— Circus aeruginosus, Lin. 



Several specimens of this well-known bird are sent by Mr. 

 Oates. He remarks that it is "common on the Engmah Swamp, 

 and in most of the inundated parts of the country. It often 

 attemps to carry off wounded game." 



Of a nearly adult male, he gives the following particulars : — 

 " Length, 19 - 8 ; expanse, 47*5 ; tail, from vent, 9*5 ; wing, 15 ; 

 bill, from gape to tip, 1*4 ; tarsus, 33." 



One of the birds sent is fully adult with the silvery tail and 

 wings. 



55.— Haliastur indus, JBodd. 



Mr. Oates says that " this species is common about Thayetmyo, 

 and occurs in immense numbers in all the tidal creeks of the 

 Pegu plains.'''' 



56 ter.— Milvus affinis, Gould. 



All the specimens sent by both Mr. Oates and Captain Feilden 



belong to the smaller and darker race affinis, which occurs equally 



in Australia, Timor, Macassar, Chusan, and Saigon, and which I 



have from Madras, the Nilghiris, Raipoor, Dacca, Agra, Dehra, 



Ajmeer, and Erinpura, and which Mr. Gurney informs me he 



has seen from Nepal, Calcutta, Poonah and the Deccan. The 



following are approximately the variations in the sizes of wing of 



the three races which we have in India : — 



Affinis, wings, male, 16'75 to 17'25 ; female 17 to 17'75 

 Govinda, „ „ 17"9 „ 18'5; „ 18" 1 „ 195 



Major, „ „ 190 „ 20-5; „ 1925 „ 21-5. 



Major is further distinguished by the large patch of white on 

 the under surface of the wing on the basal portion of the primaries. 

 Immature birds, of all the species, are smaller, and the two for- 

 mer, affinis and govinda, inosculate, so that while some Indian 

 specimens are absolutely identical with the Australian affinis, 

 others may be met with, which it is difficult to decide whether 

 to assign to govinda or affinis. 



In regard to these three species, see further Stray Feathers, 

 1873, p. 160. 



Mr. Oates remarks : " This Kite is excessively common in all 

 large towns and villages, and is to be met with occasionally in 



