61 :. 



17 



joint 2"45 inches in length. The question of the further distinctions between A. melaschistus and A. nisus may 

 well be left in Mr. Hume's hands ; for he has got a fine series of Indian Accipitres to work with. We cannot 

 attempt here to account for the differences of size and plumage exhibited by the Indian specimens of A. nisus 

 which we have examined : these will only be explained by patient research in that country itself ; and the 

 circumstances by which the birds are surrounded must be considered, especial care being taken to find out to 

 what extent the Common Sparrow-Hawk is resident or migratory in India. Moreover, in comparing Indian 

 examples, a series of European specimens, not British, must be employed; and Mr. Hume will find some of 

 the aged male Sparrow-Hawks almost as dark as his A. melaschistus, and some of the English females almost 

 as powerful ; but there can, we think, be no difficulty in distinguishing his new species at a glance, when fully 

 adult. One male bird in the British Museum, the type of Hodgson's A. subtypicus*, seems to us to differ 

 somewhat from A. nisus, and is very dark in coloration; but we could not define any tangible differences. Total 

 length 12 inches, wing 8"2, tail 6 - 4, tarsus 2 - 3. These measurements, it will be noticed, are very large ; and it 

 will be well to compare the adult male of A. melaschistus, when discovered, with this specimen, as it seems 

 probable that the latter title may be synonymous with A. subtypicus of Hodgson. 



China. The same remarks apply to the birds from this country ; for we have not yet examined a sufficient 

 series to enable us to determine whether there are any tangible differences between the Chinese Sparrow-Hawk 

 and true A. nisus. The four specimens lent to us by Mr. Swinhoe do not exhibit any great distinctions. Two 

 males, killed respectively in the Nankow Pass (September 20th, 1868) and at Shanghai (November 1868), are 

 very clear blue-grey above, and underneath are barred with bright tawny colour, like the Palestine specimens 

 above examined, which, indeed, they much resemble, but are decidedly clearer blue above ; bars on primaries 

 seven and six, on tail six and four, the older bird having as usual a less number of bands ; in this specimen 

 also the thighs are much more rufous than in the one killed earlier in the year. Total length ll'S-11'5 inches, 

 culmen 065, wing 8 - 0-8"l, tail 6 - 6, tarsus 2"15. middle toe without claw 13. A female, also in Mr. Swinhoe's 

 collection, killed near Canton, is a very powerful-looking bird : it is just gaining its second plumage, when the 

 bird looks Uke an adult Goshawk, though the least remains of a tawny spot in the centre of the pectoral 

 bars, and a few white edgings to the wing- and tail-coverts, show that it is not fully mature. On the upper 

 surface the bird is clear grey, the head darker, the forehead, eyebrow, and nape being much varied with pure 

 white; bands on primaries seven, on tail five, with remains of a sixth basal bar. Total length 15 inches, 

 culmen - 9, wing 9'7, tail 7'6, tarsus 2"6, middle toe, without claw, T65. The length of tarsus and wing, 

 especially the former, suggests the possibility of this bird being A. melaschistus ; and the white edgings to 

 the feathers on some portions of the upper surface are also peculiar. We perceive, moreover, that this same 

 character is noted by Mr. Hume in his description of the female in second plumage. Another female, killed 

 at Swatow in December, 1867, is much browner in colour, and has remains of rusty edgings to the feathers, 

 and the shafts to the primaries are pale fulvous ; on the under surface of the body the markings are much the 

 same as in European specimens, the tawny mesial spots on the breast-feathers and the bars extending low 

 down on to the flanks and abdomen ; bars on primaries seven, the basal one being almost obsolete, on the tail 

 six. Total length 14 - 3 inches, culmen 08, wing 1O0, tail 8 - l, tarsus 2 - 6. 



Japan. In the collection of Messrs Salvin and Godman is a female specimen received in exchange from 

 the Leiden Museum. It is immature, but does not differ perceptibly from European specimens, excepting 

 that the edgings on the upper surface of the body are rather pale, and certainly incline to whitish ; bands on 

 primaries six, on tail five. Total length 15 inches, culmen - 8, wing 9 - 7, tail 7 - 5, tarsus 2'55, middle toe 

 without claw P6. Lord Walden possesses another specimen, marked a male, collected by Mr. H. Whiteley at 

 Hakodadi on the 25th of November, 1854. The measurements would indicate a female, as follows : — Total 

 length 15 inches, culmen 0'8, wing 9 - 75 (in life), tail 8 - 0, tarsus 2 - 5, middle toe without claw T6. This bird 

 is very pale brown ; and the margins to the feathers of the upper surface are pale rusty, becoming whitish on 



* Mentioned by Hodgson in Gray's ' Zoological Miscellany/ p. 81 (1844). 



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