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“‘ Breeds on the top of high trees. I took the nest of one in 
December, (Christmas day) which was placed in the fork of a 
Tamarind tree, about 25 to 30 feet from the ground.” 
This is not at all in accordance with the habits of this species 
elsewhere, and I cannot help thinking that Mr. Theobald must be 
in error, but in another note, still writing from Salem, (Madras) 
he says,—* It frequents open jungles and cultivated fields, and 
flies low in search of prey. On one occasion the first one (mea- 
surements given,) made a dart at one of my young Pigeons, but 
failed in its attempt; it did not return to the attack, but was 
going away, when I shot it. It isnot ashy bird when on the 
wing. On one occasion, I took a nest of one, with three youn 
ones which were of a brindled color on the wings, tail and back, 
ashy on the other parts; they lived for a fortnight, when they 
died one after another ; they fed greedily on raw mutton.” 
“The young birds had a sort of shrill whistle.” 
And speaking of two specimens which he forwarded, he 
further says,— Both of these birds were shot in Salem; they 
are most common about here from December to May or June. 
I found locusts in the stomachs of both.” 
All my enquiries and observations lead me to believe that 
Mr. Theobald is in error, but his assertions are so positive and 
circumstantial, that being, as he is, familiar with the species, I 
have thought it only right to direct attention to the subject, by 
inserting his remarks. 
Of the nidification of this species in England, Mr. Yarrell 
gives the following notice: ‘The nest is placed on the ground, 
generally among furze; the eggs, seldom exceeding four in 
number, are very similar, as might be expected to those of the 
Hen Harrier; they are white, one inch seven lines (1°58) in 
broadly margined with brighter rufous. The first few primaries silvered on 
their outer webs towards their bases, and with three or more irregular, dark, 
transverse bars on the inner webs, (which are mostly brownish white above 
the notches,) and faint traces of these on the grey brown, outer webs, above 
the emarginations ; all the tail feathers tipped with pale rufous, most broadly 
in the external feathers. The central tail feathers deep brown, with four 
broad, transverse, greyish brown bars, greyer at the bases and browner towards 
the tips. The lateral tail feathers similar in character, but the grey brown 
bars change, as the feathers recede fromthe central ones, to rufous grey, 
rufous and rufous white; and the deep brown interspaces change similarly 
to nearly pure cinnamon rufous.» The upper tail coverts are absolutely pure 
white in some, in others with very narrow, rufous brown, shaft stripes. 
From the throat, the whole lower parts including the wing lining, are pure, 
pale cinnamon rufous. Some of the feathers of the sides of the breast with 
dark, linear, brown, shaft stripes, and all the feathers with the shafts slightly 
deeper coloured than the webs. 
