The TRUE SINGING HAWK (_Melierax musicus_), as the largest member of this
group is called, inhabits Southern Africa, and is replaced in the central
portions of that continent by another species (_Melierax polygonus_),
closely resembling it in appearance, though somewhat smaller. In the
latter the plumage on the upper part of the body, throat, and upper
breast, is slate-coloured; the belly, wings, hose, and large wing-covers
are white, striped with delicate grey zig-zag markings. The quills are
brownish black, the tail-feathers of a paler shade, the latter are
tipped with white, and striped three times with a crooked white line;
the iris is of a beautiful brown, the beak dark blue, the cere and feet
bright orange. The length of this bird is about one foot seven inches,
its breadth three feet two inches; the wing measures eleven inches and
two-thirds, the tail eight inches and one-third. The female is about one
inch and a half longer and two inches broader than her mate. The plumage
of the young is brown above, and upon the belly and breast white striped
across with light brown; the sides of the head and a line over the breast
are of the latter colour. The first-mentioned species is similar in its
colour and markings. Le Vaillant, who first described these remarkable
Hawks, tells us that they are numerous in Caffraria, where they usually
frequent the widely scattered trees, and subsist principally upon hares,
partridges, quails, rats, mice, or similar fare. The nest is large, and
contains four pure white eggs. Le Vaillant has given the name of Singing
Hawk to the species, from an extraordinary fact of which he assures us
he had personal experience, namely, that they are capable of pouring out
a flow of song, and sometimes continue their vocal exercise for hours
together. For our own part we have never heard one of these birds sing,
and therefore must abstain from either depreciating or maintaining this
statement; but similar species, carefully observed by ourselves, in the
more northern parts of Africa, were capable of nothing but a prolonged
whistle or piping scream. In appearance alone do these Hawks bear any
resemblance to their European congeners; in their habits they are dull,
extremely indolent, and entirely incapable of the daring exploits that
render other members of their race so formidable; it is by no means
uncommon for them to sit for hours together dozing upon a tree, or lazily
scanning the surrounding country almost too idly even to note the prey
they might easily secure. When in the air their movements resemble in
some respects those of our Hawk, but are entirely without the precision
and rapidity which render that bird so terrible an opponent. Whilst
perched among the branches their appearance is ungainly, as they squat
motionless with head drawn in, staring fixedly at one particular spot.
According to our own experience, they devour toads, grasshoppers, and
various kinds of insects in great numbers; Hartmann tells us that they
will also eat lizards. The prey is usually pounced upon as it goes down
to the water to drink, yet even then, so slow and apathetic is this
bird in its behaviour, that an attempt to seize the victim often proves
abortive. We are entirely destitute of particulars as to the incubation
of this species.