186 LEVANT SPARROW-HAWK. 



eight inches and a half; tarsus one inch and four fifths; tail 

 seven inches; middle toe one inch and two fifths; beak from 

 forehead along curve to tip ten lines. Female, length, foui'teen 

 inches and a half; carpus to tip nine inches and a half; tarsus 

 two inches ; tail seven inches ; beak eleven lines. 



Mr. J. H, GuRNEY, witli his usual kindness and 

 liberality, sent me skins marked 3Iicrom'sus sphenurus, 

 E,iip., as lie suspected that this bird might have been 

 mistaken for M. hadiiis, Gm., and so have led to the 

 introduction of the latter into the European lists. Upon 

 comparing the skins of Mr. Gurney with the plate and 

 description of Accijnter sphenurus, in Riippell's "Syste- 

 matische Uebersicht der Vogel Nord Ost Africas," it 

 became evident that they did not refer to that species, 

 as I will shew presently. Mr. Gurney had himself 

 neglected to compare the skins with Riippell's des- 

 cription, but fully admitted that they could not be the 

 same, and expressed his opinion that the species was 

 undescribed. Upon inquiry I fully believe the cor- 

 rectness of this suggestion. 



The skins sent to me by Mr. Gurney are four in 

 nvmiber, — male and female adult, and male and female 

 young. From Micronisus hacUus, M. hrachydactylus, 

 and M. polyzonoides, they are at once distinguished 

 by their greater size and the more marked sexual 

 differences, which diiferences are rendered quite positive 

 when examined more closely. I will first give the 

 measurements of the four skins of the Levant Sparrow- 

 Hawk compared with the above-mentioned three, as 

 well as of Accipifer ntsus, to which form they approach 

 more closely than the others, and also of Accipiter 

 sjjhcnurus from Eiippell's work. 



