210 THE FOOD OF BIEDS IN INDIA. 



XII, 290. Insects, reptiles, young or feeble birds and small 

 mammals. Jerd. B. I. I, 87. 



Small mammals and especially rodents, also small birds, rep- 

 tiles, frogs, beetles and grasshoppers, and many game-keepers now 

 recognise the bird's utility by protecting its breeding quarters. E. 

 B. C. N. H., 165. 



Keep down rabbits and hunt rats and mice. E. B. C. N. H., 

 148. 



1239. Buteo ferox. Rough-legged Buzzard. Migratory, visit- 

 ing North-Western India from October to March, and very abund- 

 ant in desert and semi-desert tracts, when it lives mainly on the 

 Indian Desert Gerbille (Gerbillus hurriance). It is also very com- 

 mon in marshy ground and it feeds on frogs, rats, mice, lizards, and 

 large insects. F. I. Ill, 392. 



1241. B. desertorum. Common Buzzard. Mouse, lizard, B. 

 N. H. S. J. XVII, 670. Lizards, frogs, rats, shrews, and young or 

 sickly birds. Jerd. B. I. I, 88. 



1243. Astur palumbarius. Goshawk. Birds, hares, gazelles. 

 B. N. H. S. J. X, 505 ? Very destructive to pheasants and other 

 game birds. Jerd. B. I. Pheasants, partridges, pigeons, and othei 

 birds, and on small mammals. F. I. Ill, 397. 



Much esteemed for hawking in India. The baz is trained to 

 strike the houbara bustard, kites, and neophrons, duck, and many 

 other large water birds, as cormorants, herons, ibises, &c. It is, 

 however, chiefly trained to catch hares. The Jura is trained to 

 strike partridges, rock-pigeons, crows, teal, &c. Jerd. B. I. I, 46. 

 Small mammals and birds. E. B. C. N. H., 156. 



1244. Astur badius.* Shikra. General food as Jerdon says^ 

 appears to be lizards but it frequently seizes small birds, rats, mice 

 and sometimes does not disdain a grasshopper. It is more commonly 

 trained than any other Indian bird of prey, and is flown at quails, 

 partridges, and more commonly crows. 



It has been seen feeding on flying termites or white ants. 

 F. I. Ill, 339- 400 F, It can be taught to strike the common 



