LEUCOPTERNIS S U P E R C IL IA R JS .
Plate XXXVIII.
LEUCOPTERNIS SUPERCILIARI8,
(KAUr’S BÜZZAED).
Leucopternis superciîiaris
Leucopternis K u h li
Bu teo E a u p i
Leucopternis E a u p i
P e b . Sitz. Ak. W ie n iliv . p . 10, e t Orß. Bra s. p. i
Scl. e t Salv. P.Z.S. 1867, p . 589.
Bp . Consp. L p. 19 (?)
G. E . Gray, in Mo s. B rit. (u n d l),
Bp. Eev. ZooL 1850, p. 4SI.
Fum ido-niger nuchâ e t cervice postieâ albo va riegatis ; s tr ig a su p e rc ilia ri alba : su b tù s albus, cervice latera li nigi-o
s tr ia ta : c audâ nig râ, albo v itta tâ e t a n g u s te te rm in a ta : ro s tro nigro, cera flava ; pedibus flavis, u n g u ib u s n ig ris : long,
to ta 1 4 '0 , a l» 8'0 , c a u d » 6 0, ta rs i 2;5.
Ha b . Brasil, bo r., P a ra . (Wa llace): Bo rb a (M a tt).
The late Prince Charles Bonaparte, who had an unhappy trick o f publishing new names
for birds without any descriptions attached to them or with diagnoses so short as to leave them
practicably unrecognizable, appears to have twice essayed to bestow a specific designation upon
the present Buzzard. In his “ Conspectus,” Leucopternis Kuhlifi characterized as '■‘•similis
precedenti, (i.e. L. melanopi) sed capite nigricante, zinguihus alhis,” is probably intended for the
present bird, as we know o f no other species to which the phrase would be suitable. In some
cursory notes upon the Rapacious Birds contributed to the Revne de Zoologie for 1850 a new
species is again somewhat similarly described* as “ Leucopternis K aup i.” But in this case we
have been able positively to identify the bird, by reference to the marked specimens o f it in the
British Museum.
We cannot, however, think that it would be i-ight to supei-sede in favour o f either of these
names, Herr von Pelzeln’s teim superciîiaris, which, although published subsequently, is
accompanied hy a full and excellent description.
Natterer, upon whose specimens v. Pelzeln founds his species, obtained three examples of
this Buzzard in Northern Brazil ; at Borba on the Madeira, and at Para. At the latter locality
Mr. Wallace also procured a single specimen, which he has kindly loaned to us for the pm-pose
o f the present work. Our figure represents this bird at a reduction o f two-thirds o f its natural
size.
* Semblable au L . melanops, mais à tê te noire e t à ongles blancs, l. c. p. 4SI.