LEVANT SPARROW-HAWK. 59 
M. sphenurus. I merely give figures of these birds that my readers 
may be assisted in coming to a correct conclusion in determining the 
true position of these Sparrow-Hawks. 
Including a small species figured by Smith, ("Birds of Africa,") as 
Accipiter polyzonoides, they will stand thus : — 
!Micronisus polyzonoides \ 
" sphenurus = > Small race, Africa. 
M. brachydactylus ) 
Asiatic type. Micronisus badius Median race, India. 
European type. ( Micronisus brevipes ) Large race, 
( Accipiter nisus j Europe. 
Mr. Blanford ("Geology and Zoology of Abyssinia,") gives an 
account of M. sphenurus, and its differences from M. badius are clearly 
pointed out. He says — 
"Micronisus sphenurus. Accipiter brachydactylus, Swainson; Nisus 
sphenurus, Riippell; Micronisus guttatus, Heuglin, "Ifur. O," 1861, 
p. 430; Nisus badius, Heuglin, "Orn. Nord. O. Africa," No. 45. 
Has the "iris yellow or greenish yellow in young, orange or scarlet 
in old birds; cere yellow, legs dark yellow; bill black. In young 
birds the breast is spotted, in adults banded, the changes precisely 
as in N. badiusT — (Jerdon, B. Ind., vol. i., p. 48.) 
"When I saw this bird in Abyssinia it always appeared to me very 
much smaller than the common Indian Shikra, (N. badius, Gin.,) and 
the measurements appear to bear out this view, although Schlegel 
and Von Heuglin unite the two races. The following are measure- 
ments of three specimens of N. sphenurus. 
Old female 
Young female 
Young male 
Those agree with Hiippell's and Heuglin's measurements, but Jer- 
don gives those of the Indian 31. badius thus: — 
Female 14 to 15 8i 7 2 nearly 
Male 121 71 51 
I think we may without any doubt, then, dismiss M. badius from 
the European list, and agree with Mr. Gurney, who says that having 
compared with Mr. Blanford the Abyssinian ornithologist's specimens 
of the Indian and African so-called M. badius and also with M. 
sphenurus, he is confirmed in his opinion that the Indian and African 
races are distinct." 
Length. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Tarsus. 
(In inches.) 
12 
7.4 
6.5 
1.7 
12.75 
7.5 
6.2 
1.7 
11 
7 
5.3 
1.6 
