observed in Madagascar. 267 



the Ambodinangavo mountain (the highest we crossed), a Falcon, 

 apparently of this species, came hovering over the peak, just as 

 I fired right and left at a brace of Quail {Margaroperdix striata), 

 one of which dropped dead, the other flying over the hill-side. 

 Instantly the Falcon, undisturbed by the report of the gun, 

 made a stoop at the falling Quail within 30 or 40 paces of where 

 I stood ; missing the bird, it flew towards the rocky cliff's on the 

 south side of the path, when it was joined by its mate, carrying 

 a bird. As they approached the cliff's, I could hear their young 

 crying. 



" I obtained a good specimen of this bird on leaving Tamatave, 

 towards the end of November, when about fifteen miles from 

 land ; after hovering about the ship for some time, it rested on 

 the rigging, thus enabling me to shoot it. It is a young male, 

 in good plumage." — S. R. 



" At Antananarivo I saw the dead body of an adult Falcon, 

 I believe of this species. The broad dark moustache was very 

 conspicuous. It was in an advanced stage of decomposition, and 

 its wings and tail had been closely clipped, — why, I could not 

 learn. I was told that it had belonged to the king." — E. N. 



The country in the neighbourhood of the capital is well 

 adapted for hawking, but we did not hear of Falcons being 

 ever trained for the sport by the natives. The Scopus umbretta 

 would make a good quarry. 



3. Falco gracilis, Lesson ; Hartl. p. 18. 



Several specimens of this Kestrel were obtained. We observed 

 it throughout our journey from Tamatave to the capital. It 

 appeared to us to fly much " sharper " than F. punctatus of 

 Mauritius, which we do not think we ever saw in Madagascar. 

 Iris brown, beak horn-colour, cere and legs yellow, claws black. 



"On the 22nd of October, when on my way to the iron-mines 

 of Imesina, and at about ten miles from Antananarivo, I observed 

 two large nests (which I believe to have been those of Scopus 

 umbretta) on low trees : the largest was about 5 feet high by 

 3 feet in diameter, and placed in the fork of a branch ; in its 

 sides there were two large entrances, 8 inches at least in 

 diameter, and over each the materials of the nest formed a sort 



