192 CALCUTTA SPARROW-HAWK. 



This bird has been introduced into tbe European 

 fauna by Professor Blasius, not as an accidental visitor, 

 but as a constant inhabitant, ("Verzeichniss der Yogel 

 Europa's,") ISTot being able to find any record of its 

 occurrence in Europe, and Mr. Gurney, with his great 

 knowledge of this class of birds, being unable to refer 

 me to any instance — except in one doubtful case — of 

 its capture on the continent, I wrote to Professor 

 Blasius, and asked him to refer me to his authorities. 

 Not having received any answer to my letter — which 

 I am far from attributing to an act of discourtesy on 

 the part of one naturalist towards another — I had no 

 alternative but to decide for myself whether I would 

 admit this bird into my book or not. I have done so 

 for the following reasons: — 



There are three Sparrow-PIawks very closely allied 

 to each other, if indeed specific distinction exists be- 

 tween them. One of them is the Asiatic form of M. 

 hadius, Gmelin; the other two are African species, M. 

 sphenurus, Ruppell, and M. hrachydaciTylus, Swainson. 

 I think it will be found on further investigation that 

 these species have got mixed together, and that they 

 are all, as far as the African skins are concerned, 

 referable to one bird, namely, the subject of the 

 present notice, and that the differences in specimens 

 are variations, and not specific distinctions. If this 

 view is correct, we can easily understand the source 

 of confusion. I have shown in the previotis notice 

 that the wrong bird has been sent to this country as 

 M. sphenurus. Mr. Gurney's skins of M. Irachydactylus 

 and M. hadius are so exactly alike that it is impossible 

 to detect any real distinction. Slight differences in 

 measurements will occur in individuals as well as in 

 the dried skins of birds originally of the same size. 



