834 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVI. 



Habits, etc. The Buzzards resemble the eagles to some extent. 



They are sluggish birds, and though they do at 

 times soar to great heights, and soar well, they a"re 

 much more at home sitting on the stump of a tree, 

 or even on the ground, on the look out for rats, frogs, 

 lizards and even insects, on which they prey. 



Whatever be the colouring of this species, it can, 

 as a rule, be easily identified both in the hand and 

 in the air. A tarsus feathered for half its length or 

 more, in front, and naked behind, at once places it in 

 Type F. 



Once this is done the rest is simple, by elimination 

 of the remaining genera, as follows : — 



Kites, 3 species, all have forked tails ; tarsus 



Brahminy Kite, tarsus only 2", wings exceeding 



tail, colouration white and chestnut. 



Black-wingod Kite, size very small ; tarsus 



under 2". 



The Honey Buzzard, bill weak and elongate ; 



sides of head covered with small scale-like feathers ; 



tarsus about 2". 



The above eliminates 6 species and leaves the 3 

 Buzzards, in all of which the tail is rounded, difler- 

 entiating them from the Kites and the tarsi in all 

 three are over 2|", which fact sets them apart from 

 the other three species, as well as, of course, from 

 the Kites. 



In the air, a Buzzard, as such, is unmistakable from 

 the light moon-shaped patch, due to the light bases 

 of the primaries, on each wing, visible in every 

 phase of plumage. 



These birds begin to arrive in the plains in October 

 and are then common throughout the Punjab. Not 

 often found in groves or jungles, but every plain, dry 

 ricefield and desert can supply its quota of B. ferox. 

 In the lower hills, shortly after the rice has been 

 harvested, these birds will be found on the trees 

 adjoining the fields and as frequently, sitting on the 

 "bunds" between the fields. If not disturbed, a 

 Buzzard will return time after time to the same tree, 

 after flying down for an insect or a rat. 



Occasionally they are very sociable and three or 

 four may be seen sitting at opposite ends of the same 

 field, seldom on the same tree, but usually I have 

 noticed that the first comer establishes his right to 

 the locality and drives away all intruders. 



This species has a curious habit of descending on 

 to the ground towards dusk and looking for his food 

 thence. This is comprehensible in birds which take 

 their quarry on the wing, for they can then see it 

 better against the sky-line, but since the Buzzard 

 takes nothing on the wing, except termites, it is 

 strange he should adopt this plan. I do not 

 mean to say that all Buzzards come to the ground 



