M1LVUS AFFINiS, Gould. 



Fig. 1. 



Milv. plumis capitis, nuchce, collique laterum rufescenti-cervinis, strigd centrali fused notatis ; corpore 

 supra brunneo, iectricibus alarum rufescentihus ; singulis plumis nigra lined centrali notatis ei ad 

 apicem pallide brunneis ; primariis nigris, secondariis nigrescentibus ; caudd fused, nigrescentejaa- 

 ciatd, et ad apicem cinered ; guld fuscescenti-cervind, singulis plumis lined centrali nigra, ; corpore 

 subtus rufescenti-fusco, singulis plumis lined centrali fused apud Mas pectoris maxime conspicud 

 ornatis ; rostro nigro ; pedibus Jlavescentibus. 



Long. tot. 21 unc. ; rostri, lj; alee, 15| ; cauda, tarsi, 2. 



Feathers of the head, and the back and sides of the neck reddish fawn colour, with a central stripe 

 of dark blackish brown ; all the upper surface glossy brown inclining to chocolate, and passing into 

 reddish brown on the wing-coverts, the shaft of each feather being black and the extreme tip pale 

 brown ; primaries black ; secondaries blackish brown ; tail, which is slightly forked, brown, crossed by 

 several indistinct bars of a darker tint, and each feather tipped with greyish white ; throat brownish 

 fawn colour with the stem of each feather black ; the remainder of the under surface rufous brown, 

 with a central line of dark brown on each feather, which is broadest and most conspicuous on the 

 chest ; bill black ; feet yellowish. 



Syn. Milvus qffinis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part V., 1837. 



Remark. This species is very nearly allied to the Milvus ater of Europe : the circumstance of nearly 

 the whole of the Fauna of Australia being distinct from those of all other parts of the world has in- 

 duced me to separate it specifically from that bird ; the chief difference is in its being somewhat 

 smaller in size. 



Habitat. Australia. 



MILVUS ISURUS, Gould. 

 Fig. 2. 



Milv.frontc, linedque supra-ocidari cervinis ; singulis plumis, apicem, lineamque centralem nigros ha- 

 bentibus ; veriice, dor so, lateribus colli, gutture, humeris supra et subtus, corporeque subtus rufe- 

 scenti-aurantiacis ; plumis singulis verticis, occipitis, et prcecipue pectoris notam longitudinalem 

 apicalemque nigramhabentibus ; dor so superior e,plumisque scapularibus intense fuscis ; primariis 

 ad apicem fuscis, nigro obscure fasciatis, ad basin inius cinereis ; secondariis intense fuscis nigro 

 fasciatis ; uropygio crissoque albis, nigro cervinoque fasciatis ; caudd fere quadratd, et cinereo- 

 fuscd; rectricibus, duabus externis utrinque exceptis, obscure fasciis quatuor angustis nigris 

 ornatis ; omnibus ad apicem nigris ; rostro fusco ; cerd, tarsisque flavis. 



Long. tot. 20 unc. ; rostri, If ; ala?, 81 J ; caudal, 8^ ; tarsi, If. 



Forehead and space over the eye buffy white, each feather tipped and marked down the shaft with 

 black ; crown of the head, back and sides of the neck, throat, shoulders, both above and beneath, and 

 the under surface generally reddish orange ; the feathers on the crown and the back of the head 

 like those of the forehead marked longitudinally and tipped with black, but in no part are these mark- 

 ings so widely spread as on the chest, whence they suddenly diminish, and are altogether lost on the 

 abdomen, the uniformity of which, particularly on the flanks, is broken by obscure transverse bands of 

 a lighter colour ; upper part of the back and scapularies deep blackish brown ; tips of the primaries 

 on the upper surface dark brown, obscurely banded with black ; internal web of the basal portion of 

 the primaries together with the stem and under surface generally greyish white; secondaries dark 

 brown banded with black, the remainder of the wing light brown, the edges of the feathers being still 

 lighter ; rump and upper tail-coverts white, with transverse bands of brown and buff; tail brownish 

 grey, and nearly square in form, all the feathers except the two outer on each side marked with about 

 four obscure narrow bands of black, the whole tipped with black ; bill brown ; cere and tarsi yellow. 



Syn. Milvus isurus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part V., 1837. 



Remark. This species, the immediate locality of which is not known, offers the nearest approach to 

 the Common Kite, Milvus vulgaris, that has yet been discovered ; but is readily distinguished from 

 that species by the square form of the tail. 



Habitat. Australia. 



