394 
The White Hawk 
migratory or not, is unknown. That it breeds in the brushes of 
the district above mentioned, is certain; for I recollect seeing a 
brood of young ones in the possession of Alexander Scott Walker, 
Esq., of Newcastle, on the Hunter: a gentleman much attached 
to the study of the natural productions of Australia. These 
young birds differed but little in colour from the adult specimens 
in my collection ; except that the transverse markings of the 
breast were much darker, and of a more arrow-shaped form: 
which markings become fainter, and more linear, as the bird ad¬ 
vances in age. The sexes present the usual differences in size, 
but in colour and markings they closely assimilate. All the upper 
surface grey; throat and all the under surface white, crossed with 
numerous irregular grey bars; cere, yellowish orange; feet, yel¬ 
low ; bill and claws, black. The irides of the young are brown.” 
With reference to the White Hawk, Mr. Gould observes— 
“ Although I feel convinced that the white bird, to which the 
name of Falco Nova Hollandice has been constantly applied 
by the older writers, is merely an Albino of the species figured on 
the preceding plate, I have been induced to give it a representa¬ 
tion here, in order to show what synonyms have reference to that 
state of plumage; as well as to depict one of the most orna¬ 
mental and beautiful of the Falconidse inhabiting Australia. 
“ As I have before stated, the range of the grey bird would 
seem to be confined to New South Wales; on the other hand, 
the white bird is not only found in the same districts, but is also 
very generally, though sparingly, distributed over Van Diemen’s 
Land ; a fact which might induce many persons to consider it to 
be a distinct species. I am, however, inclined with Cuvier to 
believe it to be merely an Albino variety, becoming permanent: 
an event of very rare occurrence among animals in a state of 
nature. 
“ The diversity in the colouring of the irides, of the many in¬ 
dividuals that have come under my notice, would materially tend 
to confirm this opinion: some having the irides bright yellow, 
and others brown. A splendid female I shot under Mount Wel¬ 
lington, in Van Diemen’s Land, had the irides bright crimson, 
like those of the Albinos of many other animals; while another 
