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scious of its situation, and without making use of its claws or 

 bill, or exerting any efforts to extricate itself. It suffered it- 

 self to be handled and examined very patiently. Being placed 

 in a large cage, I had an opportunity of observing it during 

 several weeks. It made a few efforts in the beginning to set 

 itself at liberty ; but finding them ineffectual, it soon, by its 

 calmness and dignity of manners, exhibited a resemblance to 

 tlie more noble species of Falcon. It stood quiet in its cage, 

 regarding every thing that passed with a steady look ; if a per- 

 son approachetl very near, it retired gradually, without show- 

 mg any alarm. During the first two days of its confinement 

 our bird refused food altogether, although it was plentifully 

 supplied with fish. After the expiration of this time, it opened 

 its bill when a fish was offered to it ; and although very hun- 

 gry, it seemed to distrust this unaccustomed mode of taking 

 food. A small fish being now carefully placed in the bill, 

 without any resistance on the part of the bird, was permitted 

 to remain a considerable time, and after much hesitation was 

 finally swallowed with great caution. By mild treatment the 

 bird gradually became accustomed to this mode of taking food, 

 and after several days it had acquired sufficient confidence to 

 take a fish from the hand of any person that offered it. Its 

 usual attitude was with the bill half opened. The bird ap- 

 peared to have frequent thirst, and took up copious draughts 

 of water with its bill. 



" The pair of birds which I here obtained had been carefully 

 observed by the natives of the village of Brambatan for several 

 years. Their cry resembled that of the Osprey. They lived 

 exclusively on fishes, which they obtained abundantly out of 

 the lake above mentioned. They never attacked fowls or 

 other animals. They daily resorted to the lake, over which, 

 suspended in the air or sailing slowly along, they watched 

 their prey : on observing a fish, they darted on it with impe- 

 tuous velocity. More rarely they pursued a more passive 

 conduct, and watched the lake from the trees in its neigh- 

 bourhood. The nest -of this pair of birds had before my ai'- 

 rival been repeatedly visited by the natives. The female was 

 observed to lay two eggs at a time, and the young birds were 

 driven from the neighbourhood as soon as they were able to 

 provide for themselves." 



F. ccerulescens. F. nigro-cajrulescens subtus ferrugineus, 

 hypochondriis tibiis postice plagaque laterali colli atris, remi- 

 gibus rectricibusque intus albo fasciatis. — Allap, or Allap- 

 allap, of the Javanese. F. cccndescens Linn. &c. 



This beautiful species, the smallest of its race, was first de- 

 scribed by Edwards, in his Natural History of Birds, pub- 

 lished 



