26 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Bill slaty blue, dark at the tip ; cere, orbits, and legs yellow ; 

 irides intense brown. 



Length of a female 17| to 18^ inches, wing 13^, tail 0^. Length 

 of a male 15, wing lOf, tail 5^. A female weighed lib. lOoz. 



An individual female Shaliin in the ]\Iuseum of the Asiatic 

 Society has the lower plumage, and especially the thigli coverts 

 and under-wing coverts, so much mixed with wliitish, and the bars 

 so numerous and close, that I strongly suspect it to be a hybrid 

 between the Shahin and the Peregrine. It was sent from the 

 N. AV. Himalayas. 



Sundevall first described this Falcon in his paper on the Birds of 

 Calcutta, published at Lund in Sweden, 1838, which, however, was 

 not known in England till Strickland had it translated in 1846. 

 I was the first Enclish writer who noticed it. TJiis was in 1839. 

 Sundevall obtained his specimen on boardship in N. L. 6° between 

 Ceylon and Sumatra, about 70 miles from the Nicobar Islands. 



The Shahin Falcon is found throughout the whole of India from 

 the Himalayas to the extreme South, extending into AfFghanistan 

 and Western Asia. It is, however, far from being a common bird. Its 

 habitual resorts are high rocky hills, in the neighbourhood of jungle 

 and forest land, wdiether in alow or mountainous country, though the 

 latter is always preferred. In the Carnatic, which is nearly devoid 

 of forest, the Shahin is but seldom met with, yet there are certain 

 spots even there, Avhere individuals of the species resort to after the 

 breeding season, being chiefly young birds, and they are known to 

 breed in various parts of the range of Eastern Ghauts. Its habits 

 in a wild state vary somewhat according to the kind of country 

 .frequented. If a denizen of a forest, it watches on some lofty 

 tree at the skirts of a glade, or liovers over it, ready to pounce on 

 any unlucky bird that ventures to cross. In more open country 

 it is necessitated to take a wider circuit in search of its prey, and 

 is of course much more on the wing. Such birds are more highly 

 prized for training than forest-bred birds, which are therefore 

 seldom sought for. This Falcon destroys large quantities of game, 

 partridges, quails, &c., and it is said to be very partial to parro- 

 quets. This assertion is corroborated by the fact of my having 



