Notices respecting Neisj Books. 127 



tibus, ventre postice crisso cruribus caudaque prater aplcem 

 albis, capite canescente. — Jokowuru, of the Javanese. 



This species belongs to the Stirps Aquilina of Mr. Vigors's 

 distribution of the Falconidce^ and is referred by him to the 

 genus Pandion of Savigny, of which the Osprey, F. Haliceetus 

 Linn., is the type. It presents, however, a strong approxima- 

 tion to Haliceetus, the next genus of Fishing Eagles, and stands 

 osculant between the two groups*. Dr. Horsfield gives the 

 following interesting account of its habits. 



" The Falco Ichthycctus is found in Java, always near lakes 

 or on the banks of large rivers. It is by no means generally 

 distributed. I met with it in two situations only: one of these 

 was on the banks of the largest river of the eastern parts of 

 the island, the river of Kediri. Here it was very numerous, 

 and I obtained most of the specimens which I afterwards 

 brought to England. I frequently surprised it, pei-ched on 

 the extremity of a dead branch, in the attitude in which it is 

 represented in the figure which illustrates this article, watch- 

 ing its prey. But I had previously become acquainted with its 

 appearance and manners. During my residence on the hills 

 of Prowota, situated about twenty miles south-east of Sema- 

 rang, I found a single pair of these birds, which had esta- 

 bhshed themselves for several successive years, near a village 

 on the confines of an extensive lake formed by the annual ac- 

 cumulation of water during the period of rains, and distin- 

 guished by the name of Rawa (lake) of Damak. The birds had 

 built their nest on the summit of a very large tree, where their 

 motions were often watched by the natives ; and by the as- 

 sistance of one of these, I obtained both the male and the fe- 

 male bird, and examined their nest. The latter was con- 

 structed in a rude manner, of branches of trees. The 

 branches which were placed on the exterior were more than 

 an inch in diameter ; tlie inside was lined with small twigs : 

 it was irregularly round, and very slightly excavated. The 

 birds were surprised during the period of incubation. The 

 male was procured living, and kept in confinement several 

 weeks ; the female was unfortunately strangled in the snare 

 which was set for it. The nest contained one young bird, 

 recently hatched, and a single additional egg, which being 

 placed under a hen was hatched in twenty-four hours. The 

 male bird, on being caught in the snare, permitted itself to be 

 seized by the native who ascended the tree, without making 

 any resistance. It was brought to me witliout delay. The 

 bird at this time lay in the arms of the native, apparently con- 



• Sketches in Ornithology. Zoological Journal, vol. i. p. 321. _ 



scious 



