Mr. G. T. Fox's Notice of some rare Birds. 183 



below light brown on the lower half of each feather, white on the 

 upper ; the tail square, and white at the end. Legs feathered below 

 the knee : the tarsi and feet with large yellow scales, particularly on 

 the toes above ; claws, horn-colour, not much hooked ; tips of the fea- 

 thers of the hind head and neck behind with a light spot, a remarkable 

 indication ; four first quill feathers notched or cut out at their inner ex- 

 tremity, the character of a sub-division of the genus, according to 

 Temminck, which includes the Common Buzzard, the Rough-legged 

 Falcon, and this species, as possessing the same peculiarity. 



On reporting this capture to Mr. Selby, he informed me, in reply, 

 that about the same time another specimen of the Honey Buzzard had 

 been killed at Chiswick, near Berwick, and had passed into his posses- 

 sion. He describes it as a curious and beautiful variety of the kind, the 

 hind head and neck being white, slightly tinged with Sienna-yellow, 

 with the exception of the small feathers between the bill and eyes, and 

 the auriculars, which are dark umber-brown ; the breast and belly also 

 white, tinged with yellow, each feather (as in the other specimen) with 

 a narrow dark brown streak down its centre ; the back and scapulars 

 umber-brown, but the lower half of all the feathers, when put aside, 

 found to be pure white ; secondaries and tertials with white tips ; the 

 tail similar to the other ; cere, of a bright yellow, the part of it above 

 the nostrils inclining to orange. Upon dissection found to be a male, and, 

 though in fine plumage, was not in high condition, or loaded with fat, 

 as they usually are at this season. 



Repeating my reports of these captures, I further found that another 

 specimen of this species had been killed about a fortnight after, on the 

 chimney of the engine belonging to the paper mill at Shotley Bridge, and 

 had come into the possession of Mr. Jos. Annandale.* On examining 

 it, I found it to resemble the first described specimen more than that of 

 Mr. Selby, though somewhat darker than either, the feathers on the hind 

 head possessing the remarkable distinction, above noticed, of the white 

 tips. Its yellow cere, if M. Temminck's character be correct, shews it 

 to be a young bird, as well as the two others. Its condition was fat. 



* This gentleman has since liberally presented the bird to the Society. 

 VOL. II. X X 



