THE BIRDS OF PREY OF THE PUNJAB. 



Explanation of Plate II. 



Figs, 

 Fig. 

 tics. 



1, 2, & 3 



All represent a bird flying directly overhead. 

 1 Characteris- Wings long and 'wy broad, extending from the 

 body in a straight even line, almost to the tip of the 

 primaries. Very rounded at the tips and making 

 much less of a curve behind. The rear part meeting 

 the body almost at right angles. The wings held on 

 the same plane as the body and only the tips of the 

 primaries curling upwards. The tail comparatively 

 very short and protruding very little beyond the line 

 of the tertiaries. Sometimes spread out like a fan, 

 in which case it hardly looks like a tail at all. Flight 

 heavy but regular, the circles even and the wings 

 almost motionless. 



All Vultures except O. calvus. 



Characteristics 

 applicable to : — 



Fig. 2 

 Characteristics. 



Characteristics 

 applicable to : — 



Fig. 3. 

 Characteristics. 



Characteristics 

 applicable to : — 



higher 



Wings very long and narrow in porportion to 

 their length. Held on the same plane as the body, 

 neither curving upwards nor backwards. The fore- 

 part of the wings very straight (when soaring only) 

 from the body to the tips and the rear line but 

 little rounded, meeting the body at right angles. 

 Tail long and very distinctly wedge-shaped. 

 The Lammergeyer and to Neophron, except that 

 the latter has a short tail. 



Wings short, broad and rounded ; curving upwards 

 and backwards. The line of the wings straight 

 and even in front and well curved behind meeting 

 the body at a considerable angle. Tail long and pro- 

 truding considerably beyond the line of the wings. 



All the Spizaeti. All the species of Astur and 

 Accijjiter conform to the above characteristics as 

 regards the shape of the wings and tail, but none of 

 them fly with their wings held back in a 

 plane to the body. 



The accompanying plates and these explanatory notes thereon, are not 

 intended to draw any hard and fast line in describing the flight of Birds 

 of Prey. Whilst attempting to give a general idea of the genera here 

 described, it must be remembered that the descriptions apply only to the 

 typical and most common attitudes adopted by the birds whilst soaring, 

 and cannot be expected to hold good at all times. For instance, the 

 accompanying drawing of a Lammergeyer together with the above descrip- 

 tion applies to one seen soaring, with the intention of rising high into the 

 air, and would not apply to the same bird circling in short spirals over a 

 hill top, where he may have seen something which needs further investiga- 

 tion, or beating low over the hills in quest of food. In either of these 

 cases the chances are that the fore-part of the wing will be bent back from 

 the shoulder as though in readiness to close for a stoop, and the tips of the 

 primaries may often be seen bending downwards and in a lower plane than 

 is the body. The wind also appears to play an important part in the 

 position of a bird's wings and tail. 



Even though the flight of individual birds varies considerably, once the 

 species becomes more or less familiar, on the wing, it is a simple matter 

 to recognise it whatever be the position of its wings, at the time, as the 

 chief characteristics are pretty well always noticeable. 



Further details of flight will be dealt with in their proper place, i.e. 

 when dealing with individual species. 



