MICEASTUE. 109 



the species at Altamira, near Tampico ^^, and its range can be traced through all the 

 other countries of Central America. The bird appears to be everywhere resident, as it 

 was met with in Tehuantepec by Sumichrast and Richardson in February, April, July, 

 and November, and by Forrer at Presidio de Mazatlan in February and April. AVe 

 procured two young specimens at Medio Monte in Guatemala in August and 

 December, and M. Boucard obtained an example in May in the Candelaria 

 Mountains, Costa Rica. 



According to Sumichrast ^^, M. melanoleucus does not soar in the air like other 

 large Hawks, but seeks its prey in the thickest parts of large woods, crouching along 

 the branches of trees after the manner of the Caprimulgidse ; its cry resembles that 

 of Eerpetotheres cachinnans. 



The food of this species consists principally of iguanas and other lizards, but it also 

 takes young birds and insects. 



2. Micrastur amaurus. (Tab. LXV.) 



Micrasiur amaurus, Gurney, Ibis, 1879, p. ] 73 ' ; List of Diurn. Birds of Prey, p. 24 ^ 



Nigricans; torque coUari nullo ; aJis fasciis vel maculis fulvescentibus celatim notatis; supracaudalibus 

 nigris, albo maoulatim transfasciatis ; rectricibua nigris, albo termiaatis et fasciis albis transversim. 

 4-iiotatis : subtus nigricans, pectore imo, abdomine, hypochondriis tibiisque, sabalaribus et subcaudalibus 

 albo vel fulvo fasciatim maculatis ; alis subtus eodem modo notatis. Long, tota circa 22-0, alae 10-1, 

 caudse 10-4, tarsi 3-55. (Descr. exempl. ex Panama. Mus. nostr.) 



Hah. Panama [mus. nostr. & Mus. Norv. ^ ^). 



In 1879 Gurney ^ described this species from two Panama specimens — one in the 

 Norwich Museum, the other in our collection. The blackish tone of the plumage and 

 the absence of a nuchal collar caused him to separate it from M. melanoleucus, of 

 which, after close comparison with the series in our coUecrion and that of the 

 British Museum, we believe it to be a melanistic form, but only an examination of a 

 still larger series can determine this with certainty. Our figure is taken from one of 

 the types. 



3. Micrastur mirandollei. (Tab. LXIV.) 



Astur mirandollei, Schl. Nederl. Tijdschr. i. p. 131 ' ; Mus. Pays-Bas, Astures, p. 27 -. 



Micrastur mirandollei, Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1867, p. 759 ' ; 1869, p. 365 ' ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds 

 Brit. Mus. i. p. 76 ' j Eidgw. Pr. Ac. Phil. 1875, p. 485 ^ 



Micrastur macrorhynchus, Pelz. Eeise d. Nov., Vog. p> 11 ' ; Orn. Bras. p. 7^ 



Micrastur poliogaster, Lawr. Ann. Lye N. Y. vii. p. 317 (nee Temm.) \ 



Supra saturate schistaceus, alis vix brunnescentioribus, intus obscure nigro fasciatis : pileo dorso concolore ; 

 Cauda nigra, anguste brunneo terminata et fasciis brunnescentibus albido mixtis trivittata ; regione 

 parotica pallide schistacea, fascia posteriore saturate schistacea circumdata ; geais eb corpore subtus toto 

 albis, rhachidibus plumarum schistaceis, strigas angustas formantibus ; subalaribus et axiUaribus pure albis : 

 rostro plumbescenti-nigro ; eera flava ; pedibus aurantiaco-flavis ; iride brunnea. Long, tota circa 17-8, 

 alee 9-2 caudse 7-2, culm. 1-1, tarsi 3-05. (Descr. feminse ex fl. Eupernuni in Guiana. Mus. nostr.) 



