. The birds of South Africa. Birds -- South Africa. 290 POLIOHIERAX black tipped with white and with four white spots on either web becoming almost complete bars on the outer tail-feathers; below, including the cheeks and under wing-coverts, white throughout. Iris light brown; bill yellow, darker at the tip; cere yellow to orange ; legs red, claws black (Ortlepx^). Length 7-75; wing 4-70; tail 2-85; culmen 0-45; tarsus 1-20; weight 2i oz. (Ortlepp). The female differs from the male in having the central portions of the back and scapulars of a rich maroon-red. It is also larger ; win
. The birds of South Africa. Birds -- South Africa. 290 POLIOHIERAX black tipped with white and with four white spots on either web becoming almost complete bars on the outer tail-feathers; below, including the cheeks and under wing-coverts, white throughout. Iris light brown; bill yellow, darker at the tip; cere yellow to orange ; legs red, claws black (Ortlepx^). Length 7-75; wing 4-70; tail 2-85; culmen 0-45; tarsus 1-20; weight 2i oz. (Ortlepp). The female differs from the male in having the central portions of the back and scapulars of a rich maroon-red. It is also larger ; wing 60. Distrihution.—This species was originally discovered by Sir Andrew Smith, who obtained three examples in the neighbourhood of Old Latakoo near Kuruman in the present district of Bechuana- land. It appears to be very rare not only in South Africa but. Fig. 94.—Poliohierax torquatus. x /„. elsewhere. Beyond our limits it is found in the inner, drier portions of East Africa, extending northwards to Gondokoro, Shoa, and Somaliland, but has not hitherto been met with in Nyasaland. The following are the South African localities : Cape Colony— Orange river near Upington, August (Bradshaw), near Kimberley, May (Ortlepp in S. A. Mus.), near Kuruman (Smith); Basutoland (Mrs. Barber in S. A. Mus.) ; Transvaal (Sharpe and Layard) ; Bechuanaland—Bamangwato dist. (Buckley) ; German south-west Africa—Eeheboth in Great Namaqualand, December (Fleck), rare in Great Namaqualand and Damaraland (Andersson). Habits.—Andersson gives the following account:—" It is always met with in pairs and usually perches on bushes or on the lower or middle branches of small trees, though I have seen it on the topmost boughs of lofty trees. I never saw it soar like other Falcons. It is not shy, and when disturbed it never moves further than to the next conspicuous tree or bush. It feeds on small birds, mice, lizards, and coleopterous insects, the being, I apprehend," its chie
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