24. B uteo augur. Augur Buzzard.
The only claim that this species possesses to he inserted in the present
work is the occurrence of two specimens in Mossamedes, where
they were shot by Señor Anchieta at Capan gombe and Huilla. Excepting
these examples, which were kindly forwarded for inspection
by Prof. Barboza du Bocage, we have never seen an example from
any locality away from North-Eastern Africa, and the capture of
these specimens so far south of their ordinary habitat is of great
interest, when considered along with the occurrence of Metier ax poly-
«onus in Damara Land. The notice of this Buzzard will be found in
Bocages5 fifth list of birds procured in the Portuguese possessions of
Western Africa.—(Jorn. Lisb. 1871, p. 385.)
As it is possible that this species may have occurred in South
Africa more often than has been supposed, the editor has added the
description of the plumages published by him in the British Museum
“ Catalogue of Birds.”
Young.—Above uniform dark brown, the nape streaked with white;
sides and hinder part of neck streaked with rufous buff; lores
whitish, sides of face and under surface of body creamy-buff, much
marked with brown on the throat and cheeks, forming a distinct
moustachial indication on the latter; sides of breast and abdomen,
as well as under wing-coverts, distinctly marked with dark brown ;
thighs uniform ochraceous buff; upper tail-coverts ashy-brown, tipped
with rufous ; tail ashy brown, with a whitey brown tip, and crossed
with twelve or thirteen bands of darker brown; quills ashy brown,
externally ashy near the base, and barred with dark brown, the
inner web of quills white, the tips black both above and below,
secondaries with more or. less distinct bars of dark brown below;
iris umber-brown.
Adult male.—Above black, pure white below and on sides of neck ;
cheeks, ear-coverts, and throat black, the latter somewhat streaked
with white, the flanks slightly marked with black; upper tail-coverts
rufous with black tips; tail bright tawny, with a blackish patch
towards the tip of outer web; quills black at tip, ashy grey near
the base, the secondaries paler and more silvery grey, all crossed
with black bars; under.wing-coverts white, as also the inner web
of the quills; cere and feet yellow; iris yellowish brown.
In the foregoing stage, which does not occur in the allied Bwteo
jalcal, the under tail-coverts always incline more or less to rufous,
which sometimes extends halfway up these coverts. Although,
through the progress to maturity, the plumages are so different, yet
in the fully adult black dress it is almost impossible to distinguish
the present bird from B. jalcal; and the only difference we can see
is, that in the latter species the silvery grey on the wing is lighter,
while the tail is darker and more decided chestnut. B. jalcal generally
has a rufous breast or ‘ apron/ but not always. The black
markings on the tail of the latter never reach quite to the end but
are always subterminal, and form a more or less perfect band.
Old male.—Black, the base of the quills externally ashy grey with
black bars; the tail rufous, with black markings near the tip. Total
length, 20 inches; culmen, 1*55; wing, 16‘3 ; tail, 7-5 ; tarsus, 3'6.
Old female.—Similar to the male, but a little larger. Total length,
24'5 inches; wing, 18-75; tail, 9; tarsus, 3‘6.
Fig. Rupp. Neue Wirb. taf. 16.
25. B uteo a ug u ral is. Salvador^s Buzzard.
Specimens of this Buzzard have been procured in Mossamedes and
the interior of Benguela by Anchieta and Freitas Branco. Neither
the author nor the editor are personally acquainted with the species,
and the latter has, therefore, deemed -it advisable to translate the
full descriptions given by Professor Barboza du Bocage.—(Jorn.
Lisb. II. p. 336).
Adult male.—Above dusky blackish, with a white nape-spot, the
feathers of the back and wings margined with brown; sides of head
and a cervical collar varied with rufous; forehead, loral space, and
throat white; lower throat and breast uniform with back; flanks
and abdomen white, with large cordiform spots and streaks of black;
under wing-coverts white spotted with black; quills dusky blackish,
the inner webs white towards the base; primaries blackish at tip,
secondaries banded with blackish; tail above rufous with a broad
subterminal band of black, underneath greyish; cere and feet yellow;
iris white.
Young male.—Above dusky rufous, the feathers dusky, edge with
rufous; the hind neck more rufous, with a white but less conspicuous
aape spot; underneath rufous white; forehead white, streaked with
dusky; throat white; a large patch on each side of the breast dusky
rufous; flanks and belly with large cordiform spots and streaks of