350 Mr. E. C. Stuart Baker 07i the [Ibis, 



XVIII. — Notes on the Nidification of some Indian Falconida. 

 II. The Genus Accipiter. By E. C. Stuart Baker, 

 M.B.O.U. 



(Plate VII.) 



India is extraordinarily rich in Sparrow-Hawks, having at 

 least four species besides sub-species, some of the latter 

 having been given the rank of species by Indian field - 

 naturalists and ornithologists. 



The following are found within the limits of Burmah, 

 Ceylon, and India, either as residents or as migrants : — 

 * Accipiter nisus nisus. Migrant. 



A. 71. melanoschistos. Resident. 



A. virgatus viryatus. Resident. 



A. V. confusus. Resident. 



A. affinis. Resident. 



A. gularis. Migrant. 



Whether the Ceylonese form of ^. virgatus can be separated 

 from the South Indian one is very doubtful, and, again, it 

 is equally doul)tful whether either or both can be distin- 

 guished from the true A. v. virgatus from Java; if they can, 

 they would bear the name A. v. hezra of Jerdon. For the 

 time being, therefore, I keep all three of these forms under 

 the same name. 



Accipiter nisus nisus. 

 The Common Sparrow-Hawk. 



This bird does not breed in any portion of India, the 

 numerous accounts of its nests and eggs all referring either 

 to A.n. melanoschistos or one of tiie other forms of Sparrow- 

 Hawk. 



At the same time, in the cold weather its distribution is 

 very wide, and it may be found practically anywhere within 

 the limits dealt with in this article. Harington obtained a 



* This form, found in Central Asia, is sometimes divided from the 

 typical European bird under the name A. n. 7usosimilis. 



