parts, particularly on the flanks, thighs, and under tail-coverts } each
feather has a black shaft. Tail much forked, and barred with grey-
brown. B i l l black at all ages. Iris brown. Length, 2 1"; wmg,
1 8"; tail, 10".
4 5 . E lanus C 2e r t j l e u s . Black-shouldered Kite.
Elcwus melanopterus, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 26 (1867).
According to our own experience in South Africa this is a migratory
species, appearing about Cape Town in the month of May.
Victoria, however, procured it in the -Karroo in January and February,
and at the Knysna in April, May, July, August and December.
Mr. Rickard states that it is common at East London, and Mr. Ayres
records that it appears to be equally distributed throughout Natal
and Transvaal. Dr. Kirk notes it as very common both on the
Shire and Zambesi.
Mr. Andersson writes as follows: “ Rare in Damara Land, and is
only found about the estuaries of some of the large periodical watercourses;
but it is not uncommon at Lake N’garni and its watersheds.
Senor Anchieta has procured it in Mossamedes at Ambaca and
Biballa, and Mr. Monteiro in Angola.
According to Le Vaillant, it builds in the fork of a tree ; the nest
large, lined with feathers and moss. Eggs white; four or five in
number. I t perches on the tops of trees or bushes, and utters a
frequent and very piercing cry, especially when m flight. Its food
consists of insects. We have also found it devouring small birds and
reptiles. I t is a bold and fearless bird, and generally allows of
approach within gunshot. It is migratory, appearing about Gape
Town in the month of May. To a certain extent this species is
gregarious : we counted nine roosting in one tree at Eerste River,
and several more were flying about close b y : they had probably
been attracted by an exodus of white ants w h i c h had taken place that
afternoon. Mr. Atmore- confirms Le Yaillant’s statement that'it lays
white eggs, and sent us one taken by himself. We fancy, however,
that these must be exceptionable instances, for Mr. Kotze and ourselves
found them nesting in abundance at the Berg River in September
and October in trees and high bushes; the eggs varied, the
ground colour ranging from white to dull red and the marking also
being sometimes blotchy and smeared like those of the English
Sparrow-hawk, at other times finely sprinkled on the surface. Axis,
1" 8 " '; Diam. l " 4 '" . j
Mr. Buckley writes: “ The eggs vary from 1'46x 1T6 inches to
l'6 8 x l-26. The ones in my collection agree in coloration with
those described .by Mr. Hume in ‘ Stray Feathers,’ (p. 25), as
received from Mr. Blewitt, but in my specimens I do not perceive
the pale sea-green colour of the shell referred to by him. I agree
with Hume that the eggs figured by Bree do not appear to belong
to this species.”
Adult.—Upper parts bluish grey, under parts pure white. Forehead
whitish. Tail white on the upper side, slightly tinged with
grey. Eye-brows black; shoulders black. Feet bright yellow.
Eyes carmine in adult; bright-yellow in the young bird. Length,
12"; wing, 10" 9'"; tail, 5" 6"'. The young birds are more or less
mottled with brown.
Fig. Dresser, B. Eur. part xxxv.
46. P jsrxis apivorus. European Pern.
The c Honey-Buzzard,’ as it is familiarly called, can be considered
only a rare winter visitant to South Africa, having but twice been
obtained in Natal by Mr. Ayres, though figured by Levaillant as
‘ Le Tachard.’ It is, however, more often procured on the Gold
Coast during the winter months, and probably does not always
migrate to South Africa. Sir Andrew Smith procured a young
specimen in Madagascar, which is still proserved in the British
•Museum.
Tail with four broad and numerous small dusky bands; wings
with two similar bands. Adult male with the anterior parts of the
head brownish-grey, the upper parts deep-brown; the throat white,
with longitudinal-dark lines; the rest of the lower parts white, with
broad bands and spots of brown. Female with the forehead bluish-
grey ; the upper parts deep-brown; the lower pale, yellowish red,
with large reddish-brown spots. Length, 24J"; wing, 16" 9'";
tail, H i".
Fig. Gould, B. Eur. i, pi. 16.