AFES. 293 



grey on the breast, and the much fewer transverse bands 

 on the abdomen. The tail also appears slightly shorter. 

 The following are the measurements of the two speci- 

 mens, both apparently females : — 



ill. in. 



1. Wing, 775 ; tail, 6'6. 



2. „ 7-8 „ 6-8. 



The somewhat shorter tail is the character upon 

 which Sundevall grounds his distinction of the species.^ 

 Mr. Gurney, who kindly examined one of my specimens, 

 considers it distinct. Von Heuglin also appears inclined 

 to separate the northern race. 



12. N. (Micronisus) niger, Vieill. 



Sparvius niger, Vieill. Enc. p. 1269. 



Circus maurus, Riipp. Syst. Uebers. No. 47 ; teste Heugl. sed ? 



Nisus niger, Heugl. Orn. N. O. Afr. No. 47. 



Iris brown ; cere and bUl black ; legs yellow with black 

 patches in front, and also above the toes ; nails black. 



I shot two males together in jungle near the source of 

 the Lebka. Both had been feeding on either birds or 

 small mammals, not on insects. 



By some authors this is considered a mere melanism 

 of N. gabar. It appears to me to differ from the 

 northern race, N. niloticus, in smaller size and in the 

 markings on the underside of the quiUs being larger 

 and less numerous. The quills themselves also appear 

 rather dififerent in shape. The dimensions are, wing 



' Sundevall says certainly " M. gabar ex Sennaaria a Caffro differt cauda 

 multo longiore fere gradata," but his measurements show that it is the 

 northern or Sennaar form which has the shorter tail. 



