76 FALCONING. 



The Merlin is a winter visitant and is chiefly found in Sind, Punjab and 

 the N.-W. Provinces, also in Beloochistan and Southern Afghanistan. Out- 

 side of these limits, it is recorded from all over Europe, Malta, Egypt, Lower 

 Palestine and according to Swinhoe in Pekin, Amoy and Foochow. 



Mr. Hume says it is commonly captured about Umritsur and sold by 

 native huntsmen. It comes down in some numbers into the Peshawar 

 Valley, and is always to be met with early in the year in the salt range. He 

 adds that it is therefore probable that it breeds in Cashmere and the neigh- 

 bouring regions of the Himalayas, but of this there is nothing known for 

 certain. The nest in England is generally built on the ground, and the eggs 

 are laid in them. On the Continent the Merlin is said to breed on trees. 

 The eggs are 3 or 4, in number ; Bewick says sometimes 5 or 6 (?), bluish 

 white blotched at the larger end with reddish brown or greenish brown, and 

 sometimes of a deep dingy red ; in shape a broad oval, slightly compressed 

 towards one end about 1-6 X 1*25 inches in breadth. 



The Merlin flies low, and does not often mount above its prey, which is 

 generally birds, as partridges, pigeons, plovers, &c. Snipe and Sandpipers are 

 chased to the edge of the water and are seldom missed. 



Gen. Hierofalco. Cuv. 



Outer and inner toes, (measured without claws) about equal in length. 

 Distance between tips of primaries and tips of secondaries about equal to or 

 less than half the length of tail ; tarsus finely reticulate in front and not twice 

 the length of mid-toe ; nostrils round with distinct central tubercle. 



73. HiOrofalCQ Saker, Briss, Orn. i. p. 337 : Sharpe, Cat Ace. B. M. 

 p. 417. Falco sacer, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 273; Bree, B. Eur. i. p. 31. 

 Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 29, No. lo; Hume, Sir. F. i. p. 152; Hume, Rough Notes, 

 i. p. 62; Murray, Handbook, ZooL &V., Sind; id. Vert. Zool. Sind p. 66. 

 Falco lanarius, Pall. Zoog, Rosso, As.-i- p. 330 ; Gould, B. Eur. i. pi. 20. 

 Falco Hendersoni, Hume, Ibis. 1871, p. 407; id. and Henderson, Lahore to 

 Yarkand, p. 171. The CHERRUG FALCON. 



Adult Male. Above pale earthy or slaty brown, all the feathers margined 

 with rufous. Head pale rufous, reddish ash or bleached nearly white ; the 

 feathers with narrow mesial streaks. Chin, throat, abdomen, and under tail 

 coverts white; cheek stripe indistinct; breast and lower parts white, with 

 oblong slaty spots, more thickly on the breast and flanks ; quills brown, 

 deeply indented with white or rufous-white notches or bars, less in number on 

 the secondaries ; tail pale brown, barred with whitish on the inner web, and 

 ovally spotted on the outer. Thighs streaked with brown. Under wing 

 coverts and axillaries white, streaked with brown ; cere greenish white ; orbits 

 and feet yellow. 



