BUTEO ERYTHRONOTUS 13 



this respect. In the inadult bn*d, the prevailing colours are 

 black or very dark brown and a beautiful pale burnt sienna, 

 whereas in the adult these are slaty grey and white, with 

 a rufous back in the case of the female — so that King's name 

 does not adant itself to both sexes. 



This handsome Buzzard was first described by Capt. King- 

 on the first Survey of the "Adventure" and "Beagle," from 

 specimens obtained at Port Famine. Darwin subsequently 

 obtained it in Chiloe Island and the Falkland Islands. 



D'Orbigny says : — " Elle aime surtout les coteaux, les 

 montagnes ou bien la proximite des falaises : elle va toujours 

 par paire, et se pose sur les buissons des points eleves des 

 rochers ; et, quoiqu'il y eut, non loin de la, au bord des eaux 

 des saules eleves, nous ne la vimes jamais s'en approcher ; 

 tandis que nous I'avons trouvee jusqu'd huit ou dix lieues de 

 distance du Rio l!^egro, au milieu de plaines seches et arides, 

 oil de tres-petits buissons couvraient seuls le sol." 



He states its prey consists principally of " reptiles ophidiens 

 et batraciens, mais elle chasse aussi aux oiseaux, aux tinamous et 

 aux petits passereaux ; car I'inspection de son estomac nous a 

 moutre sou vent des detritus de ce genre d'alimens ; elle chasse 

 aussi probablement aux jeunes cobayes qui abondent dans les 

 memes lieux." 



Darwin questions D'Orbigny's statement that it frequents 

 open and dry countries, and says : — " We now see that it is 

 found in the dense, humid forests of Chiloe and Tierra del 

 Fuego." 



My experience agrees with D'Orbigny's, for though I have 

 seen this bird on the outskirts of forest, I have never remarked 

 it in forest depths, nor could it well exist there, since it preys 

 on the animals of the open. Undulating country, more or less 

 covered with short scrub and fern, with here and there a clump 

 of trees, is its favourite haunt : the snow-white breast perching 

 on a bush is visible nearly a mile away. It is a conspicuous 

 feature on the downs to the south of Useless Bay, and on the 



