Y oung.—The top and sides of the head, and the back and sides of the
neck dull umber-brown; the base and edges of each feather light yellowish
brown; the umber-brown on the sides of the head and neck in particular
appears almost disposed in longitudinal streaks. The back, shoulders, quill
coverts, tertiary quill feathers brown, each feather tipt with yellowish brown ;
under parts white, shaded delicately with yellowish brown, and each feather
streaked with umber brown in the course of the shaft; the streaks narrow,
and broadest towards the points of the feathers; primary and secondary quill
feathers brown, freely barred with white; the secondaries and several of the
innermost primariestipt with yellowish brown. Tail, above brown, below
livid white, and on both aspects crossed by five broad dark brown bands;
the two or three outermost feathers of each side have the spaces between the
dark bars more or less clouded with tawny white; the tips of all the tail
feathers are of the same colour. Bill blackish brown, with slight indications
of yellow upon the festoon and the base of the lower mandible.
In specimens more advanced image than the one represented in the plate, the upper parts
are of a dull umber-brown, and the lower parts irregularly mottled, black and white.
The form and strength of the legs and bill of this species clearly entitles it to be ranked as an
Astur, if we are warranted in forming such a genus. It is a bird rarely found in South Africa,
and with its habits I am quite unacquainted. It occurs most commonly in districts covered
with high wood; yet specimens have been killed not far from Cape Town, where nothing beyond
a few dwarf trees existed.