HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



151 



UNCLASSIFIED NOTES ON THE INLAND 

 BIRDS OF CEYLON. 



By F. L. 



[Continued front page 106.] 



5- ' I ""HE Rufous Falcon. I am unable to give 

 JL the classical name, as my specimen has 

 not been identified. 



Disiributioii. — Scarce in the hill country, and I 

 have only been so fortunate as to secure a single 

 example. Its food consists of "blood-suckers," so 

 common on all coffee estates. 



^/z^.— Length 13,^ in. ; span 29^ in. ; wing 9f in. ; 

 tail 6 J in. ; tarsus \\ in. 



General colour. — The upper parts (as far as the 

 tail coverts) in general, and a portion of the breast, 

 is a light brownish-red, or rufous cream-colour, with 

 bars as far as the nape of brown, which begin with 

 a triangular spot of the same colour near the tip of 

 each feather, which is edged with white, thus leaving 

 alternate stripes of the ground colour between the 

 bars, that vary in number according to length. The 

 centre of the feathers upon the head are varied by the 

 brown mark, being the entire length of the feather 

 itself, and the same peculiarity of marking extends to 

 the breast, after which the remaining under portions 

 become a pale creamy-white colour. The legs have 

 a few triangular or oval splashings upon them, but 

 farther down upon the vent the colour is nearly pure 

 white. Wings above light brown, edged with pale 

 white, and with the inner webs dashed with alternate 

 stripes of brownish cream-colour, fading into white, 

 but more distinct towards the body. Tail pale ashy 

 cream-colour, closely barred with light brown. Iris 

 3. rich chocolate-brown ; orbits greenish-yellow above, 

 faint orange below ; bill leaden at tip, extending into 

 black, and with a greenish-yellow base j'cere yellowish ; 

 tarsus bright yellow ; claws black. 



6. The Ceylon Goshawk {Astur trivirgatus), 

 Temm., Holdsworth, and Kelaart, also the "three- 

 streaked Kestrel " of the latter. " Cooroolar goyar " 

 of the Singalese. 



Distribution, -r- Appears to be wide ; during the 



north-east monsoon I secured four, and all were, 



strange to say, females. One I shot at 4500 feet and 



the other three about 2000. They live upon reptiles 



and small birds, but mostly the former. They vary 



considerably in size. 



-Size: 



Length. Span. Wing. Tail. 



9 13 in. 24i in. ^i in. 6J in. 



2 13 in. 24 in. 7 in. 6| in. 



5 isi in. 28 in. 8 in. 7! in. 



$ 14 in. 25 in. 8 in. 7 in. 



Tarsus. Shot at 



2,^ in. 4500 ft. 



2 in. 2000 ft. 



2i in. 2000 ft. 



2 in. 2000 ft. 



General colour. — Upper part, from the centre of 

 the crown to the tip of the tail, including the wings, 

 is sepia brown, the tips of the feathers being pale 

 cream-colour, succeeded by a shade of the general 

 iiue. The primaries and tail feathers on their upper 



sides are barred with bands of brown, visible also 

 on the under surfaces in places, with spaces between 

 each of pale white. The breast and under parts of 

 the body are cream-colour, more or less blotched with 

 brown, forming into bars upon the legs. The mark- 

 ings of brown follow pretty regular lines upon the 

 throat. Eye golden ; feet and tarsus yellowish. Bill 

 horny above or bluish, and the latter colour below. 

 Claws black. The eye in some examples buff inclined 

 to yellow. 



7. The Indian Sparrow-hawk {Micronisus badius), 

 Gmelin, Holdsworth and Legge. The " Shikra." 

 Accipiter badius. Brown's Sparrow-hawk, of Kelaart. 



Distribution. — Widely distributed in suitable lo- 

 calities. The neighbourhood of grass lands, or 

 "patenas" I have found a favourite resort. Food, 

 mostly reptiles. 



Size. — S length li\'va..; span 22| in. ; wing 6^ in. ; 

 tail 6^ in. ; tarsus \{^ in. 



General colour. — Deep slate-brown over the upper 

 parts, lighter on the edges of the wings and tail 

 (except at the tip of the latter, which is white), and 

 darker on the head, scapularies and back. Cheeks 

 ashy, shading into slate upon the neck, and rufous- 

 brown on the sides. Throat white, with a few dark 

 markings, fading upon the breast. Under parts pale 

 white, closely banded with bars across each feather 

 of a rich brown colour, that become closer upon the 

 sides. Legs and vent white. The under sides of the 

 wing and tail feathers have six or eight bars of brown 

 across them ; which are less distinct upon the outer 

 than the inner surfaces. Bill black at the tip, bluish 

 towards the base ; iris orange-yellow ; orbits pale 

 yellow ; tarsus and foot yellow ; claws black. 



Note. — I have not been able to have this species 

 identified, but I think it is unmistakable, and have 

 hence given the names as above. 



8. The pale Harrier. Probably Circus Swalnsonii, 

 A. Smith, Kelaart and Holdsworth. 



Distribution. — Wide, but the bird is probably a 

 visitor, visiting the hills about the middle of the 

 year, when it may be found in pairs hunting over 

 grass lands, swamps and paddy lands. Its peculiar 

 manner of suspending itself in the air and fluttering 

 over one spot, or " stooping,^' as it is called, is very 

 striking. This is done by depressing the expanded 

 tail, and beating the air with a flicker (if I may use 

 the word) of the wings. The food of this Harrier 

 consists of snakes and reptiles, and probably vermin. 



Size. — 2 length 12 in. ; span 33 in. ; wing 10 in. ; 

 tail 5 in. ; tarsus ifg in. ; shot at 3000 ft. ; 9 length 

 13 in. ; span 32J in. ; wing lof in. ; tail 5I in. ; tarsus 

 1,^5 in. ; shot at 4500 ft. 



General colour. — The back is ashy brown, with 

 white tips to each feather. Upper wing-coverts 

 black, with a greyish tinge. Upper portions of the 

 wings and tail grey, with light tips to the feathers. 

 Breast cream-colour, shading into pure white on the 



