Ornithological Notes. 



25 



II. Ornithological Notes. (1.) Pernis apivorus (Flem.), the Honey 

 Buzzard. (2.) Tetrao urogallus (Lin.), the Capercailzie {female in 

 male plumage). By John Alex. Smith, M.D. 



(l.J Pernis apivorus, the Honey Buzzard. 



A fine specimen of an adult female was shot by Mr Gavin 

 Hill at Dalmahoy, near Katho, on the 13th June 1862. The 

 bird was comparatively tame, flying from branch to branch 

 of the tree. Length from bill to point of tail 24J inches. 

 The extended wings measured, from point to point, 4 

 feet. The lores covered with the small scale-like imbricated 

 feathers. The stomach was filled with the semi-digested 

 remains apparently of wasps and their larvae, and the elytra 

 of beetles ; the eggs in the ovary were well developed. I 

 have previously exhibited to the Society two specimens of 

 this bird,* it is however rare, in Scotland ; and from the 

 season when it has been killed, as well as from its insect 

 food, is believed to be merely an occasional summer visitor. 



(2.) Tetrao urogallus. the Wood Grouse or Capercailzie. 



The bird exhibited was an example of a curious change 

 of plumage which occasionally takes place in birds, — a 

 female assuming the plumage of the male. This capercailzie 

 is a female of the ordinary size, but the general dark charac- 

 ter of its plumage is that of the adult male. 



Length nearly 26 inches ; of wing from flexure, 12 inches; 

 fourth primary a little longer than the third, and the longest 

 in the wing. Bill, light horn colour, especially at tip. 

 Plumage of throat glossy black ; head and neck, upper and 

 lower parts of back, dark grey and black mottled ; wings, 

 wing coverts, and middle of back, dark reddish-brown 

 mottled with black, and slightly also with grey ; the points 

 of some of the scapulars and tertials slightly tipped with 

 white ; the primaries dark brown, mottled on outer webs 

 with grey. Tail rounded, dark grey nearly black, the base 

 of the feathers being slightly mottled on their outer webs 

 with greyish-brown ; tail coverts mottled with grey and 

 brown, and outer feathers tipped with white. Lower part 



VOL. III. 



* See Proc. vol i. p. 240. 



D 



