MILVUS AFFINIS, Gould. 
Fig. 1. 
Milv. plumis capitis, nuchce, collique laterum rufescenti-cervinis, strigd centrali fused notatis ; corpore 
supra bruiineo, tectricibus alarum rufescentibus ; singulis plumis nigra lined centrali notatis et ad 
apicem pallide. brunneis ; primariis nigris, secondariis nigrescentibus ; caxidd fused, nigrescente Jas- 
ciatd, et ad apicem cinered ; guld fuseescenti-cervind, singulis plumis lined centrali nigrd ; corpore 
subtiis rufeseenti-fusco, singulis plumis lined centrali fused apud illas pectoris maxime co7ispicud 
oriiatis ; rostro nigro ; pedibus Jiavescentibus. 
Long. tot. 21 unc. ; rostri, 1^; alec, 15|; caudce, 10^; 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 affinis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part V., 1837. 
Remark. This species is very nearly allied to the 3Iilvus 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-ocrdari cervinis ; singulis plumis, apicem, lineamque centralem nigros ha- 
bentibus ; veriice, dorso, lateribus colli, gutlure, humeris supra et subtus, corporcque subtiis rufe- 
scenti-aurantiacis ; plumis singulis verticis, occipitis, et prcecipue pectoris notam longitudinalem 
apicalemque nigram habentibus ; dorso sujperiore,p>lumisque scapnlaribus intense fuseis ; primariis 
ad apicem fuseis, nigro obscure fasciatis, ad basin intiis cinereis ; secondariis intense fuseis nigro 
fasciatis ; uropygio erissoque albis, nigro cervinoc[ue fasciatis ; caudd fere quadratd, et cinereo- 
fuscd; rectrieibus, duabus externis utrinque exceptis, obscure fasciis quatuor angustis nigris 
ornatis ; omnibus ad apicem nigris ; rostro fusco ; eerd, tarsisque flavis. 
Long. tot. 20 unc. ; rostri, 1 1 ; alee, 81^ ; caudce, 8^ ; tarsi, 1|. 
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. 
