1917-] Nidification of some Indian Falconida. 353 



India it feeds principally on sparrows, but it will tackle 

 quail, doves, babblers of various kinds, some of the larger 

 laughing-thrushes and birds of like size, and has been 

 known to attempt even the life of a green pigeon. 



Accipiter affinis. (PL VII. figs. 1-6.) 

 The Himalayan Sparrow-Hawk. 



This little Sparrow-Hawk breeds freely throughout the 

 Sub-Himalayan region, but is rare in the western portion 

 of its range, being more frequently met w ith in eastern Nepal 

 and Sikkim ; it is comparatively common in the hill-ranges 

 of Assam, Chittagong, and in the Chin Hills, extending 

 certainly as a resident into the Shan States and probably 

 into Siam and the Malay Peninsula, whilst in the winter it 

 wanders as far east as Hainan and Formosa. To the west 

 I have no record of its breeding any further than Murree, 

 where its eggs and nest were taken by the late Mr. Philip 

 Mackinnon, and it is evidently rare there where it overlaps 

 the range of Accipiter nisus melanoschistos. 



In Assam and Eastern Bengal I found it during the 

 breeding season generally frequenting hills between 2000 

 and 3000 feet, but it comes right down into the broken 

 ground at the foot of the hills, and also ascends them to a 

 height of at least 6000 feet, whilst in the non-breeding 

 season it may be found well into the plains far from any 

 hills. 



All nests taken by myself have been found either in ever- 

 green forest or in deciduous forest much mixed with evergreen 

 trees and thick undergrowth. My first nest was taken in 

 May, 1889, and was placed in a high tree on a rocky hill- 

 side overlooking the Laisung stream in North Cachar. The 

 forest in which it stood was very dense evergreen, rendered 

 even more dense and impenetrable by the great quantity 

 of creepers and orchids, which, as usual at this elevation, 

 some 4000 feet, ran from tree to tree and rock to rock. My ' 

 camp, a collection of small grass huts, had been built in an 

 opening cleared for the purpose in this forest, and for two 



