THE BIRDS USED IN HAWKING 23 



is a distinct moustachial stripe. The under parts are buff- 

 coloured, liberally streaked with splashes of dark brown, espe- 

 cially on the flanks ; but the buff colour grows lighter on the 

 upper parts, and at the chin becomes nearly white. The cere, 

 legs, and feet are pale bluish or greenish grey. 



In adults the head becomes much lighter, and sometimes 

 dull white, but with a more or less rufous brown tint and 

 streaks of darker colour. The upper parts are dull and rather 

 pale brown, the feathers margined, and in some parts barred, 

 with light fulvous buff. The flight feathers are faintly barred 

 with a lighter brown, and all the tail feathers barred with light 

 buff The sides of the face, chin, throat, and breast are nearly 

 white, the latter being spotted rather than streaked with brown, 

 but not transversely barred. The moustachial streak fades 

 away. The cere, feet, and legs assume a more or less pro- 

 nounced yellow colour. 



The saker is a tolerably common bird throughout almost the 

 whole of Central and Southern Asia, and is there very highly 

 valued for practical purposes. It was also largely imported 

 into Western Europe in the Middle Ages, and later it was 

 used even in France and England for the flight at kites. It is 

 for this fine sport that it is now chiefly prized in India. The 

 list of quarry taken by this very serviceable hawk is extremely 

 large, and includes, besides the various kinds of tropical kites, 

 hubara, or bustard, herons, black ibis, ducks, and a whole 

 host of smaller birds. The flight at the short-eared owl is 

 especially fine, and the quarry often rings, and attains to 

 a very great height before the saker can get up. The female 

 saker will take hares well, and also ravine deer. 



The tiercel of the saker is more properly called a sakret, 

 sakeret, or sackeret. This hawk is the largest of those called 

 desert-hawks or desert-falcons. 



Lanner {Falco lanarius) 



Female — Length, i8 inches; wing, 13.3; tail, 7.2. Male or 

 "Lanneret" — Length, i6i inches ; wing, 12; tail, 6|-. 



The dimensions of this desert-hawk do not differ widely 

 from those of the peregrine, but the feet are much smaller, and 

 the tail longer. The feathers are of an inferior quality, and the 

 light colour of the head prevents all risk of confusion. The 

 wings are slightly longer and heavier. Young birds have the 

 whole back up to the nape of the neck and down to the tail 

 coverts dark brown, each feather tipped with a lighter and 



