282 Mr. T. Ayres on the Ornithology of Transvaal. 
This species breeds at this season. A few days since a nest 
was found in a thorn tree^, about eight miles from Potchef- 
stroom_, containing one egg, much incubated. 
282. Tinnunculus cenchris (Naum.). European Lesser 
Kestrel. 
Male, shot 27th December, from a flight of about fifty 
birds. 
[In immature plumage, but with a few adult feathers 
appearing on the mantle, throat, and upper breast.—-J. H. G.] 
Chicquera RUFicoLLis (Swaius.). African Kufous-necked 
Falcon. 
Male, shot 29th May. Total length 12f inches. 
Female, shot 29th May; the mate of the above. Total 
length 13| inches. 
283. Melierax niger (Bonn. & VieilL). African Black 
Hawk. 
Male, shot 31st Juiy. 
This bird was given to me by my friend Mr. Bex, who shot 
it amongst some mimosa trees on the banks of the Vaal 
river, some four-and-twenty miles from Potchefstroom. It 
is an exceedingly scarce species in this country. 
The following description was taken by me four days after 
the bird was killed :—Total length 13 inches, bill |, tarsus 
2J, wing 7f, tail 6. Irides apparently bright-red hazel; bill 
black; gape, basal portion of bill, and cere bright dark orange- 
red ; tarsi and feet bright brick-red, dashed with dusky 
brown on the upper surfaces ; claws black. 
[This specimen appears to me to be an adult but not very 
old male; the number of pale transverse bars on the middle 
rectrices is four.—J. H. G.] 
Female, shot near Potchefstroom on the 19th of August by 
my brother, who noted down the following description at 
the time:—It was a solitary bird, and was found amongst 
low mimosa trees. Total length 14|^ inches, tarsus 2, wing 
8|, tail 7. Bill black, with the base red; tarsi and feet 
black, with the under surfaces orange-red; irides brown. 
[This, I think, is evidently a younger bird than the pre- 
