THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
I 
“ Though F. subniger is a large bird, I never knew it to attack birds of 
any size, and it is less compact and heavy for its size than F. hypoleucus, 
longer in the tail in proportion than either that bird or F. melcinogenys, and 
is I think comparatively less powerful and rather shorter in the wings. A 
fine adult female measured in extreme length 22^, breadth 49J, wing from 
carpus 16|-, tail 9J, tarsus 2J inches, weight 2 lbs.” 
Brown Hawk .. 
leracidea berigora, ante, p. 260. 
Mr. J. P. Rogers, one of the keenest bird-observers Australia has 
produced, has written me from North-west Australia : “ Hieracidea orientalis. 
I am always a bit in doubt about this species and H. berigora. There are 
always many birds which I am in doubt as to which species they belong. 
Both species are numerous here. The easiest way to collect these birds 
is to light a grass fire, preferably spinifex, which burns very fiercely and 
sends up dense clouds of black smoke. The hawks come for the grasshoppers, 
etc., driven out by the fire, and search the burnt ground afterwards for 
any lizards, snakes, etc., that may have been killed. Milvus affinis and 
H. sphenurus also come freely to fire. At Marngle Creek a few were seen 
every day, and at Mungi Rock hole from the 20th of June to the 4th July I 
saw a few every day, but were not nearly so numerous as H. berigora. These 
birds remain the whole year in West Kimberley. 
“ Hieracidea berigora. This species appears to be the commonest bird 
at Mungi, but I am never sure of its identity even after shooting the bird, the 
other species is so much like it at times.” 
Captain S. A. White, the “ explorer ornithologist,” also remarks : 
“ leracidea berigora. This is a most perplexing bird, for there are two or three 
distinct color phases in South Australia. They are a common bird in the 
interior, when the bird takes on a very ruddy hue, and seems to nest over a 
long period. Their cry is very harsh : food consists of insects and reptiles. 
“ leracidea b. occidentalis. A fairly common bird on the seaboard and 
islands off the South Australian coastline. Habits, etc., like the preceding 
form. A female shot on Wedge Island, 6/1/16, had iris brown, bill slaty 
blue, bare space round the eye bluish grey, feet bluish grey, nails black. 
Stomach much distended with small lizards, some whole, others in pieces.” 
Nankeen Kestrel . . . . . . Cerchneis cenchroides, ante, p. 283. 
]VIr. J. B. White’s observations, written about 1875, read : “ Adult female 
shot June 9th, 1872. Length 13f, breadth 29, tail 6J, wing 10 J inches ; tail 
cinnamon red, broad black terminal bar, white tip. 
422 
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