Genus— L OPHASTUR. 
Lophastur Blyth, Joum. As. Soc. Bengal, Vol. XI., 
p. 463, 1842 , . . . . . . . , . . . Type L, jerdoni. 
Small birds, probably of Aquiline affinity, with double-toothed sharply-hooked 
bills, occipital crest, long wings, long tail and short legs and feet. 
From all other Australian Falconiform birds, this genus is marked off 
by the bill and crest. 
The genus-name hitherto in use has been Baza, and it is only after veiy 
careful consideration that it has been rejected. As a supergeneric name 
Bam might be used, but it is even probable that the group known as Bam 
would be entitled to subfamily rank when the osteology is carefully studied. 
In the Cat. Birds, Vol. I., 1874, Sharpe included Bam in the Falconidse, 
but from this course Gurney dissented, writing in the Ihis, 1880, p. 462, as 
follows : 
“ Mr. Sharpe has united the genera Baza and Avicida under the former 
title, and it seems to me that the distinction between these two genera is 
sufficiently slight to make their fusion permissible, though it should be 
mentioned that Mr. Ridgway has expressed a contrary opinion in his ‘ Studies 
of Falconidse,’ p. 153 ; but, agreeing in this respect with Mr. Sharpe, I differ 
from the course which he has adopted in including the genus Baza amongst his 
‘ subfamily Falconidse.’ In common with several previous writers, I look 
upon Baza as belonging to the group Bernes, and as constituting the concluding 
genus of the very extensive Milvine subfamily to which this group is, in my 
view, attached. In connexion with this subject I may quote the following 
remarks on the osteology of Baza madagascariensis from the important work 
of MM. Milne-Edwards and Grandidier on the ‘Birds of Madagascar,’ Vol. I., 
p. 75 : ‘ Cette etude detaiUee des caracteres osteologiques du Baza madagas- 
cariensis montre que cet oiseau differe trop completement des Faucons pour 
pouvoir prendre place dans la meme famille, qu’il ressemble bien plus aux 
Milans et aux Bondrees, et que si la forme de sa tete osseuse et de son 
appareil sternal n’etait pas toute speciale, on pourrait le considerer comme 
au genre Pernis.^ 
“ The genus Bam seems to me to assort itself into four natural sub- 
divisioi^ : the first consisting of B. cucuhides and B. verreauxi ; the second of 
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