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two specimens from Portugal. It does not appear to have occurred elsewhere in Southern 

 Europe, except in Turkey and Russia, where it would appear to be found not unfrequently. 

 Messrs. Elwes and Buckley write (Ibis, 1870, p. 72) : — " Great numbers of this species have 

 been observed by Mr. Alleon during the spring and autumn migration at Buyukdere ; and we 

 saw several specimens in his collection which agree in every respect with examples from North 

 Africa. He also tells us that he has twice found the nest in the forest of Belgrade. Most of 

 these birds probably pass through Turkey to Russia, where they are said to breed commonly; 

 but a few, tempted by the beautiful woods on the Bulgarian coast, remain during the summer. 

 A nest, from which the female bird was shot, was discovered by one of us on April 24th near 

 Sindal, a village about twenty miles from Varna. It was lined with moss and green leaves, and 

 contained three eggs, which differed but little from those of the common Buzzard. The cry is a 

 shrill, melancholy whistle, not unlike that uttered by that species." In Russia it appears to be 

 by no means rare on the southern Volga ; and I have received a Buzzard from Archangel which 

 undoubtedly belongs to the present species. It was sent to me by my collector there as a small 

 variety of the common Buzzard, and 1 at first was almost inclined to refer it to that species ; but 

 a careful comparison with specimens from South-east Europe and Africa has convinced me that 

 it really is B. desertorum ; and it is in fact smaller than one of the males from South Africa. 

 According to Hencke it is common near Astrachan, where, however, it is only a summer visitant, 

 leaving for the south on the approach of winter. It breeds there, he says, and builds its nest on 

 the high white poplars, depositing four or five eggs. Mr. Moschler has obtained specimens from 

 Sarepta; and one, now in the British Museum, which was sent by Dr. Stader, was obtained in 

 the Southern Ural. It passes through Asia Minor on its migration to and from its winter 

 quarters, and doubtless also occurs in Palestine ; but Canon Tristram did not meet with it in that 

 country. In North-east Africa it is stated by Von Heuglin (Orn. N.O.-Afr. p. 91) to occur in 

 autumn, winter, and spring, but does not appear to be very numerous. He observed it now and 

 again in Western Abyssinia, and along the Blue Nile, both in the wooded country and in the 

 steppes. In May 1861, he writes, "I met with four individuals of this species in the small oasis 

 of Ain-Musah, in Arabia Petraea ; they were very lean ; and I found in their stomachs grubs, 

 beetles, grasshoppers, a few lizards and chameleons." Neither Mr. Blanford nor Messrs.. Finsch 

 and Hartlaub appear to have met with it in the districts they embrace in the limits of their 

 range ; nor did Captain Shelley observe it in Egypt, where he thinks it probably occurs, but he 

 fancies he saw it in Nubia. In North-west Africa it is likewise met with. Loche states that he 

 met with several individuals in the provinces of Algeria and Constantine ; and Mr. L. Tacza- 

 nowski writes (J. f. O. 1870, p. 37) that he found it common in the hilly districts in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Constantine, Batna, and in Bouarif — and adds that though Loche includes Buteo 

 vulgaris in his list he never observed that species, but only Buteo desertorum. Mr. Salvin also met 

 with it in the Atlas range, and says (Ibis, 1859, p. 183): — "This species is by no means common 

 in the district where rapacious birds so abound. I have but few instances of its occurrence 

 noted. One of these was at Khifan M'sakta, where a pair had their nest. On another occasion 

 I saw two in a rocky pass near Ras el Alia. Subsequently Mr. Simpson shot one near the salt 

 lake of Guerah el Tharf. The eggs, as might be expected, differ immaterially from those of the 

 common Buzzard." I have seen several specimens from Tangier, where, according to Colonel 



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