105 
generally, under the tiles of a house sometimes in a position 
where it is no easy matter to introduce the hand. There is 
no regular nest, but the eggs (four and rarely five, is the comple- 
ment) are placed in a depression upon the bare wall amongst 
bits of lime mixed with the hard parts of coleopterous insects. 
Incubation commences about the middle of May, and if the eggs 
are removed, they speedily lay again; the second time mostly 
three eggs. In size, the egg is considerably smaller than that of 
the common Kestrel; but it appears subject to pretty much 
the same varieties of colour, being on the whole perhaps some- 
what lighter.” 
This species seems to have avery wide range; it is found 
throughout the south and south-east of Europe, the north of 
Africa, Ezypt and Abyssinia, and probably all over Africa, as 
Layard notes it from the Cape. I have seen a specimen shot 
near Umballa; and Col. Tytler tells me, he killed one near 
Delhi. It is not uncommon in the rainy season in Bengal, and 
seems to reside permanently in the hilly tracts of Southern 
India. It does not appear to go much further east, as Wallace 
does not include it in the birds of the Malay Archipelago, nor 
do I find it noticed from Japan or China. In Australia, it 
seems to be represented by EF. Cenchroides, (Vig. et Horsf.) 
My friend. Mr. Carter of Coimbatoor, sends me the following 
detailed measurements of an adult female, shot near Conoor. 
Dimensions—Length, 13. Expanse, 28°5. Weight, 6-44 
ozs. Wing, 9°75; the 2nd and 3rd primaries sub-equal; 2nd 
the longest. Tail from vent, 6°75. Tarsus, 1°81. Foot, greatest 
length, 2°5 ; greatest width, 2°38; mid toe, 1:13 ; its claw, straight, 
0-44; hind toe, 0°5 ; its claw, straight, 0°5. Bill, straight, 0°69; 
along curve, 0°75; from gape, 0°88; width at gape, 0°88 ; height 
at front, 0-5. 
He notes that the bill is plumbeous, black at the tips, and 
that the specimen measured had eaten nothing but locusts. 
Dr. Jerdon’s deseription of the male is not quite satisfactory ; 
he tells us, that the wing coverts are a fine blue grey, and im- 
mediately afterwards that they are vinaceous red; quite true 
so far as it goes, but without explanation, not unlikely to per- 
plex atyro. An adult male before me has the lores, forehead, 
crown, occiput, nape, cheeks, ear coverts and generally the sides 
of the head and neck, a pure bluish ashy. Back, scapulars and 
lesser and median wing coverts, a deep red. Primaries and 
secondaries blackish brown, some of the hinder ones tinged 
ashy and more or less paler tipped. Tertiaries more or less 
ashy, margined rufous. Larger wing coverts tinged ashy. 
Rump and upper tail coverts, ashy blue; tail feathers tipped 
