OCR Text |
Show 1867.] DR. J. J. KAUP ON NISI AND ASTURES. 175 Accipiter cequatorialis, Wall. P. Z. S. 1865, p. 474. A. muelleri, Wall. P. Z. S. 1865, p. 475. Nisus cruentus, Schleg. Valkv. 1866, t. 14-16. This is the largest species and has the highest beak of all the Nisi. Schlegel gives nine very fine figures of this species (which is common in the Moluccas), representing all ages of plumage. According to him (t. 2. f. 14) the transverse bars on the lower parts, as well as the neck cross bars, are lost in old age; the lower parts are more or less intensely rusty red; the upper parts ashy grey, more or less dark. M y specimen, which has recently moulted, shows eight or nine dark bars on the tail; and when the light is favourable, dark bars can be seen on the breast-feathers. An old female, of which I give the outline of the head (fig. B, p. 174), has upon it a darker ashy grey; and on the upper part of the back there is a large somewhat obscure and rusty red patch, which mingles with the pale rusty-reddish chest. The lower parts, excepting the grey throat with white spots, are pale rusty-coloured, and have bluish-white transverse bars. On the inner vanes of the tail and of the primaries there are scarcely any traces of bars. On a similar specimen Mr. Gray established his A. griseogularis. At a still greater age the neck-band, as also the breast-markings, disappears as in the male, which Schlegel (loc. cit.) figures in t. 2. f. 14. The distinguished ornithologist Wallace established on a specimen of this kind his A. muelleri, in honour of a man to whom the Museum of Leyden owes many treasures. Wallace, who correctly appreciates the difference between N. cruentus, Schlegel, and A. cruentus, Gould, established his Accipiter cequatorialis on a middle-aged bird. Upon a careful examination, traces of bands on the tail will be found. Amongst all Sparrow-Hawks this is the most powerful, and it has the highest and strongest beak. That of the female is 19 m m . high. Schlegel gives the length of the middle toe as 13'" to 19'"; the first of these figures is clearly an error instead of 15'". The latter measurement I took from an unusually small male in the nestling-plumage. LLab. All the Moluccas, where it is very common. Fig. 5. As regards structure of wings these resemble the Teraspiza;, and they, like the latter, have the first to the fourth primaries emarginated ; but they have a longer tail, provided with from ei°-ht to |