FALCON IN.E. 31 



The Lagrjar is the most common and generally distributed of 

 the large Falcons of Indin, being found over the whole continent, 

 from Cape Comorin to the Himalayas, and from Calcutta to 

 Scinde and the Punjab. It is rare in the forest countries of the 

 Malabar coast, and most abundant in open cultivated districts. 

 From my Illustrations of Indian Ornithology, I extract tJie following 

 notice of the habits of this Falcon. Whilst the Bhyri prefers 

 the sea-coast and the neighbourhood of lakes, rivers, and 

 wet cultivation, and the Shahhi deliglits in hilly and wooded 

 regions; the Laggar, on the contrary, frequents open, dry plains, 

 and vicinity of cultivation. It makes its nest in some lofty tree, 

 generally one standing alone, among some grain fields, and lays four 

 eggSj white, more or less blotched v/ith red and brown. In a wild 

 state it preys on a great variety of small birds, often snatching 

 up a chicken, even in the midst of a Cantonment, It is trained to 

 hunt crows, paddy birds, night herons, partridges, and florikin ; 

 and, it is said, has been trained to kill the heron {A. cinerea). 

 In hawking crows, C. splendens chiefly, it is slipped from the 

 hand; and the crow, when aware of its danger, uses every 

 artifice to escape, taking refuge among cattle, horses, vehicles, and 

 even entering houses. I once had a Laggar, whose wing feathers 

 were burnt off by a washerman's fire, close to which the crow Avas 

 attempting to take refuge when it was struck. After paddy birds 

 {Ardea buhitlcns) it is also slipped from the liand, and, as this 

 bird is always found on the plains feeding among herds of cattle, it 

 affords considerable sport by its dexterity in diving among and 

 under the cattle, and tlie venturous Hawk is occasionally trodden 

 under their feet. When the quarry is a partridge or a florikin, the 

 standing gait is used, as described under the head of Shahin. Lag- 

 gars, as well as Shahins, are always caiiglit after they have left the 

 nest, and have had some instruction by their parents, our native 

 Falconers con^idt-ring them better than when taken from the nest, 

 contrary, I believe, to the opinion of our English Adam Woodcocks. 

 A very nearly allied species is found in Africa, F. tamjpferiis, 

 Licht, which has been considered by some to be the same, but 

 is now gcnerallv allowed to be distinct. 



