THE BIRDS OF AUSTRAIJA. 
B. ffuiddgascariensis ; the third of B, subcvistatcif B. Teinwardii, B. rufd^ 
B. BTytJiTothoTdXf B. indgyiivostvis, B. CByloncnsis, gtiid B, suTndtTensis j the fourth 
of B. lophotes, which, it may be mentioned, is the type of the genus. 
“ It may be observed that the first of these subdivisions comprises the 
two African species, the second that which is limited to Madagascar, the 
third the Australian and Oceanic races, whilst the fourth consists of a species 
inhabiting India and the Malay countries.” 
I have quoted this in full, as my own examination gave conclusions 
practically identical with those put forward by Gurney, though independently 
undertaken and carried out as hereafter shown. 
In the Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.), 1902, p. 315, Pycraft accepts Suschkin’s 
classification of this genus, writing : 
“ In the (subfamily) Perninse (family Buteonidae) : Pernis, Bdm, Eldnoidea^ 
Leptodon and Pdndion. But from views he expressed in conversation, he 
would, I suspect, probably make a separate subfamily for Pdndion — 
PdndioninceP 
My criticism of the species allotted to the genus BdZd by Sharpe has 
proved of interest, and I confidently anticipate osteological examination will 
confirm my subdivision of this into the four natural divisions indicated by 
Gurney. 
The type of BdZd, leuphotes Dumont {=lophotes Temminck) is at sight 
differentiated by its small size and striking coloration from the Australian 
subcristdtd. It was necessary then to investigate its exact relationship, and, 
judging from plumage-changes, it is the most highly specialized form. 
As above stated, it is possible we have here a supergentjs, but the 
development of BdZd indicates a higher rank. 
Thus, on the mainland of Africa, two species occur : the juvenile stage 
has the upper plumage almost uniform brown, the under white with longi- 
tudinal brown spots such as is seen in the immature of Urospizd fdscidtd; 
this is succeeded in one species by the head becoming bluish-grey, the back 
greyish-brown, the throat grey, and breast to vent whitish, transversely 
barred with reddish brown bars : the second species passes through the 
same plumages, but in the senile state becomes blackish-grey above and the 
breast bars become obsolete, while they entirely disappear from the abdomen, 
leaving the breast to vent almost uniform. 
These constitute the genus Avicedd Swainson. In Madagascar a form 
occurs which retains the upper brown plumage, but underneath the throat 
continues the longitudinal spotting, and the rest of the under-surface is 
almost uniform through the bars broadening and overlapping. I have not 
seen a very young bird, but it may be similar to that of Avicedd. However, 
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