7Q FALCONING. 



Length. \6 to 16-5 inches; wing 12-25 to 12*77; tail 6-5 to 6-8; tarsus 

 2-2 to 2-25. 



flab. The whole of India, the Himalayas, Ncpaul, Ceylon, B. Burmah, 

 Afghanistan, and extending into Western Asia. 



The Shahccn Falcon, like the Peregrine, is much prized in falconry. All the 

 peculiarities which arc sought for in the Peregrine are also exhibited in this 

 species which is considered a better bird. Its native habits have not been studied 

 much. It however affects both rocky hills and forest land, and destroys much 

 game. It has been found breeding in Central and Southern India during 

 March and April, building on inaccessible cliffs. 



66. FalCO barbarUS, Linn. Syst. Nat. \. p. 125 ; Salvin, Ibis, 1859 ; 

 ffeugl. Orn. Afrik. i. p. 21 ; Hume, Sir. F., i. p. 19; Saunders, P. Zool. 

 Soc.y 1872, p. 356; Sharpe, Cat. Ace. Br. Mus., p. 386; Murray, Zool., fyc., 

 Sind, p. 107; id. Vert. Zool. Sind, p. 68. Falco pelegrinoides, Tern. pi. 

 col. 479 > Gray, Gen. B., i. page. 19. THE BARBARY FALCON. 



The forehead presents a mixture of rufous and dull white. This part of 

 the headjis encircled by a black (or dark slaty) horse-shoe shaped band, of 

 which the lateral branches pass over the eyes, their extreme points joining in 

 front of the eyes, the moustachial stripes, which extend along the sides of the 

 neck. The occiput and nape are covered by a rufous half collar marked 

 with three black spots, of which the centre one forms a band on the nape. The 

 back and wings are a light bluish grey, with large spots and irregular bars of 

 bluish black. 



The tail, which is a lighter grey than the back, is barred transversely with 

 black bands, very narrow towards the bases of the feathers, but widening 

 gradually towards their ends, the tips of which are white. The chest is pure 

 isabelline. The flanks, vent and abdomen of the same colour, but the 

 feathers bear very narrow longitudinal striae and little triangular black spots. 

 The base of the beak is yellow, but the point blue. The cere and feet 

 beautiful yellow, and the orbital skin orange. (Tern. Ex. S. F. 1.19.) 



Length. Female 15-5 inches; expanse 36*4; wing 1 1-4 ; tail 6*4; tarsus 

 1-8. Male Length. 14 inches ; wing 10-8 ; tail 5 ; tarsus r6. 



Hob. Sind (winter visitant), Persia, Kutch, and the Central Provinces. 

 Sharpe, (Cat. Ace.) gives its range as N. and N.-E. Africa as well as Sene- 

 gambia on the West Coast, ranging into N.-W. India and the Himalayas. 



67. FalCO babylonicus, Gurney, Ibis, 1861, p. 218, pi. vii.; Jerd. 

 B. of Ind., vol. i. p. 32; Ibis, 1866, p. 221 ; Hume, Rough Notes, i. p. 79; 

 Sharpe, Ibis, 1870 ; Cat. Ace. Br. Mus. t p. 388; Str.F., vii. p. 329; Murray, 

 Hdbk., Zool., 8fc. t Sind ; id. Vert. Zool. Sind, p. 67. THE RED-HEADED 

 LANNER, 



