from the colony of Natal in South-eastern Africa. 2-11 
ground generally within a radius of fifty or sixty yards, some¬ 
times running on the ground a considerable distance with great 
swiftness. They roost at night for a length of time on the same 
tree, taking the same route each evening; they also hunt over 
a piece of ground, flying a short distance, then hovering, then 
flying a short distance again. Iris dark brown in adult, lighter 
in immature specimens. 
20. Astur melanoleucus (Smith). Black and White Gos¬ 
hawk. 
Rather rare. A very bold bird when pursuing its prey. It 
has frequently chased our pigeons under the verandah of our 
house. When this hawk appears, the pigeons seem perfectly 
aware of their danger; they fly from home, taking a large 
circuit and ascending as quickly as they can till nearly out of 
sight. The hawk follows them, and, having much greater power 
of endurance, gradually gains the ascendency, when its tactics 
are immediately changed. It still pursues them, but, as they 
wheel round, cuts off the angles and so gains on its prey, which 
it otherwise would not do. The pigeon is certain to be caught 
unless it flies straight home or into some thick bush, when the 
hawk will not follow. 
Though exceedingly shy, these birds fear neither guns nor 
shouting when pursuing their prey, and even when struck with 
shot, if not severely wounded, still continue the chase. They 
always catch their prey on the wing. Iris light yellow. 
21. Accipiter tachiro (Daud.). Tachiro Hawk. 
Iris dark greenish-brown; cere dark green; bill black, but 
blue at the base ; legs yellow, but with a dark tinge on the 
upper part of the tarsi. This hawk lives entirely in the bush, 
especially frequenting the neighbourhood of wooded streams, 
and darts upon its prey (small birds) from the trees above. The 
stomach of one specimen examined contained the remains of a 
frog. 
[I may take this opportunity of observing that the geogra¬ 
phical range of the Accipiter tachiro does not appear to be 
exclusively limited to Africa, as I obtained an adult male speci- 
