73 
chest brown, mottled with buffy-white ; 
centre of breast whiter ; belly barred with 
brown ; thighs dark brown, slightly barred 
» with rufous; feet smaller and slighter. 
B. Tail more definitely red in old birds, with 
most or all of the bars obsolete (except in 
invermedius). 
*+138. Buieo vulpinus vulpinus+ Gloger, Das W. Asia 
Abandern der Vogel, p. 141 (1833). [Africa.] (Turkestan) ; 
[=B. desertorwm Daud. and B. sufiventery S.E. Europe 
Jerd.] (S. Russia to 
Desert Buzzard. (Caucasus) and 
Asia Minor ; 
Smaller: wing ¢ 340-380, 2 360-390 mm.: S. to Jndia, 
tarsus 75 mm., wing with first 3 primaries Arabia and 
strongly notched, 4th less so (lacking the Africa in winter; 
recurved notch) ; above brown, with con. cas. to Germany 
spicuous rufous margins and blackish and Brit. Isles. 
shafts; tail bright rufous, with sub- 
terminal black band and remains of other 
bars ; head, neck and under parts tawny 
1 Confusion has long existed regarding the East European Buzzards, and 
three years of hard work on the group brings me to the conclusion that the only 
way to overcome this confusion is to regard B. vulpinus as a species and ““ zimmer- 
manne’’ [= intermedius Menzb.—this name claiming priority] as a form of this 
species and not of B. buteo. There is no doubt that B. v. intermedius is inter- 
mediate between B. vulpinus and B. buteo, but there is also no doubt that inier- 
medtus is the representative form in E. Europe and breeds there along with typical 
B. buteo buteo. Witherby admits this difficulty (Pract. Handbook Br. Birds, u., 
Pp. 145, note) but follows Hartert in making vulpinus a form of B. buteo, and even 
goes further in doubting if ‘“‘ zimmermanneé’’ is separable. Col. Meiklejohn tells 
me also that the typical B. buteo and B. v. intermedius nest together in Esthonia 
and do not interbreed. The inference is obvious that they must be different 
species, and as I have always been convinced that vulpinus is a valid species, 
differing widely from B. buteo in adult plumage, in plumage changes, in size, and 
in habits as observed in the field, I feel that all difficulties are overcome by 
regarding intermedius as a form of that species. intermediate between it and 
B. buteo. One point that links the two latter forms is that both are not truly 
migratory, although they move in winter. B. vulpinus vulpinus on the other 
hand is a true migrant, going right down through Africa. This is unfortunate 
in one sense, because African migrants are always assigned to vulpinus, while 
European birds, especially the young with brown-barred tails, are as often as not 
confused with inteymedius or B. buteo. The differences are given above. B. 
menetyiesi Bogd. is a synonym of B. vulpinus vulpinus, as it is based on old birds 
which have lost most of the tail bands. Mr. W. Sclater (MS.) states that in Socotra 
B. vulpinus or an allied form breeds. . 
