Indian Birds 



It is considerably smaller than the common 

 house crow. Its upper plumage is ashy grey. 

 The tail is of the same hue, but with broad 

 black cross bars. The breast is pale rust colour, 

 with a number of thin wavy white cross bars. 

 The eye is bright yellow, as is the cere or base 

 of the beak. It is very like the Brain-fever 

 Bird in appearance. It often hunts for its 

 quarry in the neighbourhood of trees. Its 

 method is to make a short quick dash. Natives 

 of India very frequently train this bird to hawk 

 quail and mynas. Its note is a sharp double 

 whistle. 



159. Accifiter nisus : The Sparrow-Hawk. 

 (F. 1247), (J. 24), (+III.) 



This species, which is a cold-weather visitor 

 to India, is very like No. 158 in habits and 

 appearance. It is, however, characterised by 

 having long legs. It is bolder and swifter in 

 its movements. (Illus. B. D., p. 84 ; also B. B., 

 p. 21.) 



160. Falco jugger : The Laggar Falcon. 

 (F. 1257), (J. II), ( + III.) 



Several species of falcon occur in India. 

 This one is, I think, the commonest. 



It is a brownish bird barred and spotted all 

 over with white. It looks like a large sparrow- 

 186 



