1917-] Nidifieation of some Indian Falconida. 239 



It is very interesting to watch this little Hawk catching 

 hats. 1 have seen it stoop to them in regular Falcon-fashion, 

 and both catch and miss them in this way, but I think they 

 more often pursue the bats as they dodge about in their 

 peculiar flip-flap flight until they can grab them. On one 

 occasion I saw a pair hawking bats ; both birds sat on a 

 tree until a bat crossed in front, when they at once started 

 in pursuit, but apparently returned to their perches if not 

 successful in the first few seconds. Looking up into the 

 clear moonlit sky, it was easy to see the start of the bird 

 and the first one or two rushes, but after this bushes or trees 

 generally intervened, and I was unable to see what success 

 the birds had. 



I have found, in or under their nests, the remains of 

 Barbets (Ci/anops franklini and C. asiatica) ,lin\hn\s, Bustard, 

 Quail (Tumix blanfordi), lizards, mice, rats, a mole, and all 

 kinds of Coleoptera, often of very great size. 



Unlike the Shahin, the Indian Hobby will not allow any 

 other bird of his own species to hunt anywhere near his 

 particular domain, and though much the more common bird 

 of the two in the part of India I served in, I never saw two 

 pairs of this species working the same ground. 



Falco snhbuteo centralasiae (Buturlin). 

 (Plate V. figs. 5, 6.) 



The Central-Asian Hobby. 



This race of the Hobby breeds not uncommonly in the 

 Himalayas above 5000 feet, but unfortunately, owning to 

 their not having differentiated between this form and the 

 Common Hobby, writers have not troubled to record any- 

 thing about the nesting-habits. Col. A. E. Ward noted 

 that it bred regularly in the higher hills of Kashmir; 

 Whitehead found it breeding on the Kurram and Khagan 

 Valleys; Buchanan, Rattray, and Wilson found it breeding 

 above the Murree Hills in the Chungla and Danga Galis, 

 and I have had it sent me from Tibet together with the 

 eggs. 



