Plate XLIX. 



LEUCOPTEMIS PALLIATA. 



(GEEY-BACKED BUZZABD). 





Leucopternis palliata 

 Buteo 



Leucopternis polionota 



Pelz. Sitz. Ak. Wien. xliv. p. 11: Verh. Zool. Bot. Ges. Wien, 

 pp. 141, 184 ; et Orn. Bras. p. 3. 

 f^-+ G-ray, List of Accipitres, 1844, p. 17. 

 Kaup, Isis, 1847, p. 212. 

 Strickl. Orn. Syn. p. 37. 

 Bp. Consp. i. p. 19. 



Alba ; alis, interscapulio et dorso inferiore cum dimidio cauda3 basali obscure scliistaceis ; primariis quinque internis 

 et secundariis omnibus albo terminatis : dorsi plumis partim albo extus marginatis et interne albo fasciatis : remigibus 

 et rectricibus in caudae parte basali pallide griseis, schistaceo transfaciatis : rostro nigro, cera pallide flava ; pedibus 

 flavis, unguibus nigris : long, tota 21*0, alse 16"5, caudae 80, rostri a rictu 1. d. 1*8, tarsi 3*6. Mas. femina? similis, 

 sed minor. 



Sab. in Brasilia meridionali orient. (Natt.). 



No description ever having been published of Mr. G. E. Gray's a Buteo polionotus" 

 although the name has been quoted by several authors, we have felt ourselves bound to adopt 

 Herr v. Pelzeln's designation "palliata" for the present bird, accompanied, as it is, by an 

 excellent diagnosis and full particulars respecting the distinctive characters of the species. 

 We have less hesitation in adopting this course as, if manuscript names are to be considered at 

 all, batterer's term palliatus (which v. Pelzeln employed) has in all probability higher claims 

 to antiquity than any that our friend Mr. Gray could urge in favour of his appellation. 



batterer's unique specimen of this well marked species (an old female) was obtained at 

 Ypanema, in the eastern portion of the Brazilian province of S. Paulo, in July, 1822. In his 

 MS. notes, subsequently published by von Pelzeln, he describes the iris as not very dark brown, 

 and the cere as pale yellow, the feet as yellow passing into orange, and the claws black, 

 batterer adds that he observed other specimens of this species in the mountains near Eio Janeiro. 



As in the case of other species of Leucopternis all examples of the present bird that we 

 have met with present a remarkable uniformity in their appearance. In very old birds it is 

 possible that the white edgings to the feathers of the back and wings, which are more apparent 

 in some specimens than in others, may wholly disappear ; but we have no evidence to shew 

 that there exists in this genus any peculiar dress of immaturity, such as is usually the case in 

 typical Buteo and its affines. 



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