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V. On a Raptorial Bird transmitted by Mr. Andersson from Damara Land. 



By J. H. GuRNEY, F.Z.S. 



Bead November 14th, 1865. 



[Plate XXIX.] 



1 HE raptorial bird now exhibited has been recently sent to me, with some other birds 

 collected in Damara Land, by my friend Mr. Charles J. Andersson, to whose exertions 

 we have already been frequently indebted for valuable contributions to oui- knowledge 

 of the ornithology of that part of South-western Africa. 



Mr. Andersson remarks, with reference to the present specimen, which was procured 

 at Objimbinque, Damara Land, on the 10th of March last, " I have only obtained this 

 individual, a female, shot by my servant, who observed another, which was probably 

 the male. I imagine I have once or twice observed this species near my place (Objim 

 binque) just before dusk. I strongly suspect that it is a nocturnal or seminocturnal 

 bird. I found only a Bat in the stomach of the specimen sent, of which the description 

 and measurements are as follows : — 



" Irides bright lemon-yellow ; extremities of mandibles black ; basal parts and gape 

 bluish lead-colour ; tarsi and toes bluish white ; claws bluish black. 



" Entii'e length 1 ft. 6^% in.; length of wings when folded 1 ft. lx-2 in-; length of 

 tarsus 2 T^ in. ; length of middle toe Ix-^ in. ; length of tail 1-^^ in. ; length of 

 bill from comer of gape to the tip of the mandible, straight, 1^^ in." 

 To the above remarks of Mr. Andersson I have to add the following : — The colours 

 of the plumage are dark brown mingled with pure white, the tint of the brown being 

 very similar to that of a dark specimen of Buteo vulgaris ; a veiy few feathers of a still 

 darker tinge, however, are apparent on the occiput and back. With the exception of a 

 line of white above and below the eye, the feathers on the upper part of the head are 

 brown : this colouring extends slightly below the gape, and also over the whole of the 

 upper surface of the bird, including the wings and tail ; but the basal parts of the 

 feathers on the upper part of the head, the nape, and back are white, though this is not 

 apparent except when a feather is displaced ; but this white becomes somewhat more 

 visible where it is mmgled with the brown, in the form of bars and spots, on all the 

 feathers of the wings, both above and below, and including the upper and under wuig- 

 coverts, as also on the upper and under tail-coverts ; the upper surfice of the tail bears 

 five transverse bars of a pale brown, which on the lower surface of the tail-feathers are 

 white, and the tail is also very slightly tipped with dirty white. The throat is white, 

 but is bisected for the upper three-fourths of its length by a brown medial line, starting 



