THE BIEDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Adult male. Hinder crown, nape, hind-neck, back, scapulars, innermost secondaries, 
outer aspect of wings and tail ash-grey ; primary-quiUs darker than the back with 
black shaft-lines to the feathers, secondaries paler and inclining to white on the 
mner webs ; tail-feathers paler than the back with dark shaft-lines and inclining 
to white on the lateral feathers ; upper wing-coverts and a small patch on the outer 
portion of the wings black ; fore part of head, throat and entire under-surface white, 
including the axillaries ; a spot in front and a narrow line over the eye black ; 
median under wing-coverts black ; greater series and quill-lining dark grey ; outer 
margin of wing white. Iris red ; tarsi and feet yellow ; biE black, cere olive-grey. 
Total length 370 mm. ; culmen 18, wing 284, tail 142, tarsus 36. Figured. 
Collected on Parry’s Creek, North-west Australia, on the 27th of January, 1909, by 
Mr. J. P. Rogers. 
Adult female. Similar to the adult male, but larger. Wing 308 mm., culmen 18, 
tarsus 39. Collected at Cooktown, North Queensland, on the 22nd of July, 1900. 
Immature. Have the primaries and secondaries and their coverts tipped with white, 
the black feathers of the wing, especially on the bend, tipped with white, some of 
them showing a rusty colour ; the feathers of the back have wide rusty margins ; 
top of head dark rusty-red with dark shaft-lines ; fore-head white with dark 
centres to the feathers ; upper-breast white, the feathers more or less tipped with 
rusty. 
An older bird has lost much of the rusty colour, the adult plumage taking its place. 
Nest. Composed of sticks and lined with leaves. Outside measurements 12 to 14 inches 
by 6 deep. Inside 6 in. by 3 in. deep. 
Eggs. Clutch, three. Whitish, covered with big blotches of reddish-brown, but the 
markings are sometimes aU at one end, at others almost all over the egg. Axis 
38-43 mm. ; diameter 30-32. 
Breeding-season. June to November. 
In the Suppl. II. to the General Synopsis of Birds there was described in 
English a bird under the name of AxiUary Falcon. 
In the Suppl. Index Ornith. 1801, p. ix., Latham introduced : “ F(alco) 
axillaris. F. corpore cserulescente subtus albo, superciliis & axiUaribus 
nigris. AxiUary Falcon, Gen. Syn. Sup. //., p. 42, No. 46. Habitat in Nova 
Hollandia, magnitudine and habitu F. Cyanei : rostrum nigram : irides fusci : 
pedes fiavi.” 
It is obvious that previous writers have not read this description, as the 
words “ axiUaribus nigris ” are very noticeable. 
The English description of the “ Axillary F(alcon) ” (p. 42), reads : 
“ Size and shape of the Hen-harrier, and not unlike it in colour, but differs 
essentially, as the wreathed feathers round the lower part of the head are not 
conspicuous ; the bill is black ; legs pale yeUow ; claws black ; the plumage 
on the upper parts is pale cinereous blue : the under whitish ; over the eye 
a long irregular narrow stripe of black ; a large long patch of black also 
occupies the whole of the inner part of the wing when closed ; the quills are 
black and reach to the end of the tail, which is rather rounded in shape and 
of a moderate length. 
200 
