TJNXUXCULUS. 195 



rather higher colour than the rest of the egg near the middle. 

 The eggs are normally a long oval, and, with the exception of 

 shape, which is invariably less round than those of that species, 

 the eggs of the Toorumtee are perfect miniatures of the Luggar's. 

 As far as colouring goes, every egg of the former, in my collection, 

 can be matched by some one of the latter 's that I possess. In 

 size and colouring they remind us not a little of the eggs of 

 the Merlin; but, as a rule, they are somewhat narrower than 

 thr>e, and a greater number of them belong to the dingy, yellowish 

 brown, Falcon type, and fewer to the deep red type. 



In length they vary from 1-6 to 1'75 inch, and in breadth from 

 1'2<> to 1*33 inch; but the average of forty-four eggs measured 

 was 1'66 by 1*27 inch. 



Tinnunculus alaudarius (Linn.). The Kestrel. 



Tinnunculus alaudarius (Linn.\ Jerd. E. Ind. i, p. 38; Hume, 

 Draft N. $ E. no. 17. 



The Kestrel, I have now ascertained, breeds throughout the 

 Himalayas from Afghanistan to Sikhim, in the Sulliman range, 

 and the hills that divide Sindh from Khelat, and in the Nilghiris. 

 In the Himalayas it lays in April, May, and June ; in the Nil- 

 ghiris it lajs as early as the last week in February, in March, and 

 April. 



The nest is almost invariably placed on rocky ledges or small 

 holes in cliffs ; but I have well-authenticated accounts of its nest 

 having been taken in ruined buildings both in Cashmere and 

 Kumaon, and even in a tree in Murree. In the Himalayas its 

 nest is seldom found (so far as my experience extends) below 

 7000 feet ; but in the Nilghiris it breeds at a somewhat lower 

 elevation, as at Kotagherry and Xeddivatam. In the Himalayas 

 some nests may be found up to nearly 10,000 feet ; in the Nilghiris 

 they are to be found in suitable places as high as these occur, say 

 7500 feet. 



The full number of eggs varies from three to six ; but five is, I 

 think, the usual number. 



The nest is round, oblong, or semicircular, according to the 

 shape of the site chosen, and is a thicker or thinner platform from 

 12 to 20 inches in diameter, and 2 to 6 in thickness, made of 

 small twigs, in which grass, roots, rags, and, as Mr. E. Thompson 

 informs me, at times strips of cloth, | yard in length, are incor- 

 porated, and serve as lining. 



In one case (a nest I myself found close to Simla) there was 

 very little nest at all only a few sticks with a little grass, two or 

 three pieces of rags, and a few feathers. 



Captain Huttoii remarks : " The Kestrel is very common, both 

 in the outer hills and the Doon ; at Mussoorie I have known it to 

 breed upon a lofty ledge of rocks above the Superintendent's 

 offices.'* 5 



13* 



