L»4G JOVIiNAL, BOMBAY .\ATUIiAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXV. 



The True Hawks. The first named is easily identified by his greater 



. . / ; • size, so far as the female is concerned. 



, ^ ^, T All the Hawks have very short rounded wings and 



. • 7 . • , . ^o"g tails ni comparison to their size. All soar well 



", ? ., .' . but do not keep up circling like the Eagles. After 



Accipiter virnatun j.j. • • j i • t,j. lu -ii v i. 



^ "^ attaining a good height they will be seen to go 



off in some particular direction and then suddenly close their wings and 



drop straight down, either after birds or merelj'^ into a tree. 



In the course of circling they will be often seen to give a few short rapid 

 beats of their wings and then continue circling. 



Falcons. — Are the antithesis of Hawks. They have long pointed, swallow 

 like wings and shorter tails and may be identified as such at any height. 

 They all soar well. When soaring the wings are held straight and on the 

 same plane as the body, but when flapping, the wings are usually bent as 

 though preparing for a stoop. 



Of the falcons, the Laggar is perhaps the commonest and the most easily 

 identified, in the case of an old bird, on account of the white breast and 

 the white marking on the wing lining. They usually hunt in pairs. 

 While the identification of the Falcons is by no means difficult inmost 

 cases, to describe the subtle differences between each is, I am afraid, 

 beyond my power. 



Merlins .—These, little birds seldom or never soar. The " Turumti " 

 nearly always hunt in pairs and may be seen flying very low along the 

 ground at an incredible speed, when their keen eyes have detected small 

 birds feeding on some open " maidan, "' or over the tops of the trees, never 

 very high up. Their little grey wings work at a tremendous pace and the 

 white body is a certain guide. 



The Merlin {A. rec/ulus) does not hunt in pairs and is much darker in 

 colour. It generally flies very fast with sharp short beats, with half 

 closed wings. 



Butastur teesa.—Th.e flight of this bird is not unlike that of a true Hawk, 

 except that his wings are longer and more pointed, though not nearly as 

 long or pointed as that of a Falcon's. Given to soaring a great deal in the 

 spring. From below has the appearance of being silvery white. The flap 

 is slower and more deliberate than that of a Hawk. Talks a lot when he 

 is soaring. A not unmusical 3 note call which sounds something like 

 " whityu-whyu." Usually display^s a very light buff" patch on the nape. 

 Dark grey above and light grey beneath. Breast much mottled. The 

 Honey-Buzzard {Pernis cristatus) very much resembles the Goshawk in 

 flight, except that it is a good deal bigger. Generally found in gardens 

 aad groves or along Canal banks. Flias rapidly and hurriedly from one tree 

 to another and usuallj'' pursued by crows, mynahs, king crows, &c. Does 

 not often soar but is occasionally found high up during the spring. 

 Birds in vjhich White or IA(/ht Colours predominate. 



Gypaetus barhatus.- — The Lammergej'er in adult plumage is unmistakable. 

 1 have already said with reference to the young bird that his long narrow 

 wings and the wedge-shaped long tail are sufficient to proclaim him at 

 almost any height, and when, added to that you have a bright golden, 

 head, neck and body with grey wings and back, he is hard to mistake for 

 anything else. This bird is often seen flving low along a hill side 

 with very bent wings, and in that condition they appear exceedingly 

 pointed. 



The Harriers. — I have already described the female of the Marsh Har- 

 rier. The males of the Hen Harrier and the Pale Harrier, in adult plum- 

 age, look pure white below, with a line of black running along the edge of 



