438 
Mr. B. Alexander —An Ornithological 
near the river. The flight of this elegant little Hawk is full 
of swoops and curves. Locusts are preyed upon to a great 
extent. 
Adult <$ (Chicowa, Oct. 9, 1898). Total length (measured 
in the flesh) 9 inches, wing 5*4. Iris orange-red ; eye-ring 
and base of upper mandible lemon-yellow; legs and feet 
yellow. 
Adult $ (Chicowa, Oct. 9, 1898). Total length (measured 
in the flesh) 10'6 inches, wing 6’2. Coloration of soft parts 
as in male. 
201. Circus macrurus (Gm.). 
An immature male at Chicowa, Oct. 14, 1898, and a female 
at Zumbo, Nov. 15. 
Found on the low waste lands bordering the river, where 
it seeks its prey in early morning and again at dusk, remaining 
inert during the day on a shady branch of a thick tree, not 
far, if possible, from its hunting-grounds. 
202. Polyboroides typicus Smith. 
An immature female near Chishomba, Oct. 25, 1898. Iris 
brown; cere bluish flesh-colour; legs and feet yellow. 
203. Serpentarius reptilivorus (Daud.). 
We made our acquaintance with one in confinement at the 
Stores of the Zambesi Company, Zumbo. 
204. Neophron percnopterus (Linn.). 
Observed once on migration, Sept. 1. “ A large flock, 
quite 100 in number, suddenly appeared at a great altitude 
this morning—white specks in the sky, as they circled in 
the sunlight.” 
205. Neophron pileatus (Burchell). 
The scarcity of Vultures along the river struck us as 
remarkable, since we expected to find every native village 
watched over by one or more of these birds; but no, the 
scavenger of the bird-world was conspicuous by its absence. 
The numerous pigs in the precincts of the native villages 
devour with avidity all the offal, and this is quite enough to 
account for the absence of the feathered scavenger. Our 
