THE BIRDS OF PREY OF THE PUNJAB. 



649 



Colouration. 



Measurements. 



Habits, etc. 



The whole of the upper plumage more or less um- 

 ber brown, the feathers varying from dark brown 

 centres to light brown edges. The head and neck 

 generally much darker brown, the feathers pale edged. 

 Quills brown as also the tail. 



The undersurface generally, including wings and tail 

 light grey, both wings and tail much barred. 



Chin and throat almost or quite white with 3 streaks, 

 one in the centre and one on each side, blackish. 



The change from the young to the adult is gradual 

 but considerable like in all Si)izaeti. 



" Bill dark plumbeous, with black tip ; cere dark 

 leaden in adults, yellow in the yomig"? irides leaden 

 grey, pale straw coloured or golden yellow ; feet 

 yellow." (Blanford, for S. cirrhatus). 



" Length 26" to 29" ; tail 11" to 12"; wing 16" to 17" 

 tarsus 4". (Blanford.) 



Besides the above Dr. Blanford describes a dark 

 or melanistic form which he describes as blackish - 

 brown throughout, in which the basal half of the 

 inner webs of the quiUs and the lower surface of the 

 rectrices are grey. Another form stiU is chocolate 

 brown generally. In these the bill and cere are black. 



I have never seen this species, to be absolutely sure 

 of, in the Punjab, though Blanford records the distri- 

 bution as "as far west as Kumaon and probably 

 to Kashmir ". In April 1917 I saw a pair of obvrous 

 " Spizaeti " in Dharmsala, which must have been 

 8. limncetus as neither of them had crests. 



The birds ai-rived one evening, presagers of a big 

 storm which lasted for 3 or 4 days, dm'ing which 

 time they hmig about the top end of the Cantonments, 

 and suddenly disappeared never to be seen again. 



I tried hard to catch one but had no luck, though 

 I could easily have shot one and on more than one 

 occasion got to within 20 yards, but of course, never 

 when I had my nets at hand. 



Like the next species this is a great hunter and 

 does a considerable amount of damage among the 

 Phasianidae. In Gurhwal he is known as the " moor- 

 haitah " or peacock killer, and Mr. Thompson 

 (in "Hume's Rough Notes") 

 accomit of this species killing 

 himself saw done. 



Mr. Thompson says, "the difference in habits 

 between this bird and the next (Hodgson's Hawk 

 Eagle) is, the latter, "is confined to the deep wooded 

 hiUs ascending far into the interior of the Himalayas 



to almost the snow line whereas the other 



(the present species) is always foimd in the Bhabur 

 forests and does not ascend the hills to any great 

 height, and never is found in the interior of them." 



It builds in trees the usual platform of sticks lined; 

 with fine roots and stems, and lays usually two eggs, 

 of which I can find no description. 



gives a very good 

 a peacock, which he 



