166 Ceylon Ornithology. 



Abdomen, under surface of tail, lower wing and tail coverts 

 white. Upper surface of tail rufous brown and broadly 

 barred ; tip white. Thighs white, streaked. Bill blackish ; 

 irides light yellow. Tarsi and toes yellow, claws black. 



Length 1 foot 6 inches. Wing 13 inches. 



Females are more or less of a rufous brown on the back ; 

 they have also a nuchal ring and broader black bars on the tail, 

 and the whole of the abdomen of a light rufous colour. Head 

 rufescent. In young birds the upper tail coverts are white. 

 Probably the latter characters are also present when the bird 

 is moulting. This species in its ashy plumage is not unlike 

 the darker varieties of Circus Sivainsonii. 



The species is common in Kandy and Trincomalie. 

 Reptiles and birds are its chief food. 



Circus Melanoleucos, Pennant. The White and Black 

 Indian Harrier. 



I obtained several specimens of this bird from the open 

 plains in Minery, none of which, however, I now have for 

 description, and therefore give its characters from Latham's 

 work. 



"Length 16 inches; bill black; irides yellow; head, throat, 

 hind part of neck, and back black ; breast, belly, thighs, and 

 rump white ; lesser wing coverts white, the middle ones black; 

 the greater and secondary quills silvery ash colour ; prime 

 quills black. Tail pale silvery grey ; legs rufous. 



The female is somewhat bigger ; general colour silvery 

 grey ; on the wing coverts three round black spots, and three 

 others on the outer webs of the second quills ; primaries black ; 

 sides of the belly, thighs and vent white, transversely striated 

 with rufous red." 



Like the other species of Ceylon Harriers, it is reported to 

 feed on fyirds, reptiles, and small rats and squirrels. 



