FALCONINJE. PERNIS, 
45 
rol)ust ; tarsi very short, strong, roundish, feathered half- 
way in front, then covered with large hexagonal scales ; toes 
of moderate length, strong, the first stoutest, the fourth most 
slender, and connected with the third by a basal web, all 
scuteUate at the end, and covered beneath with roundish, 
hard papillae ; claws long, arcuate, rather slender, concave 
beneath, acute, those of the first and second toes nearly equal 
and strongest, the third longest. Plumage compact, soft ; 
feathers on the fore part of the head, cheeks, loral space, 
and chin, very small, ovate-oblong, obtuse, compact ; wings 
very long, broad, rounded, with the third quill longest, the 
outer five quills abruptly cut out on the inner web ; tail long, 
broad, even or slightly emarginate. 
This genus, of which the species are not numerous, and 
only one British, is distinguished from all others by the 
imbricated, squamiform feathers on the parts about the base 
of the bill. It seems closely allied to Milvus, Buteo, and 
Pandion. 
7. Pernis apivora. Brown Bee-Hawk. 
Tail with four broad and numerous small dusky bands ; 
wings with two similar bands. Adult male with the anterior 
part of the head brownish-grey, the upper parts deep brown, 
the throat white, with longitudinal dark lines, the rest of the 
lower parts white, with broad bands and spots of brown. 
Young male with the head brown, anteriorly tinged with 
grey, the upper parts deep brown, the throat light reddish, 
with longitudinal dark lines, the rest of the lower parts deep 
brown, with darker longitudinal lines. Female with the 
forehead bluish-grey, the upper parts deep brown, the lower 
pale yellowish-red, with large reddish-brown spots. Young 
with the head white, spotted with brown, the upper parts 
deep brown, the feathers broadly edged with light red, the 
lower parts light yellowish-red, spotted with brown. 
Male, 24^, 52, 16|', lyV, 1 t^? l/s'* 
Only five individuals recorded as killed in Scotland, one in 
Braemar, one at Dunkeld, one near Stirling, one at Chatelhe- 
rault in the parish of Hamilton, the other at Drumlanrig in 
Dumfriesshire. It becomes more frequent as w^e advance south- 
ward, but is still of rare occurrence, and appears to be a sum- 
mer visitant, all the specimens whose dates of capture or 
death are recorded, having been obtained at that season or in 
