FALCONfDjE. 



. Punjab. N.-W. Provinces, Oudh, Bengal, Rajpootana, Central India, 



the Southern Mahratta country (Dharwar), Central Provinces, Kutch, the 

 Concans and British Burmah, extending to Nepaul and Assam. Breeds in 

 January to as late as April, chiefly in the N.-W- Provinces and Bengal (although 

 it may be found breeding in other parts of India), building a nest of stout sticks 

 on high trees on the bank of some river or in the proximity of some 

 considerable piece of water. The nest is usually lined with some soft material 

 as grass, weeds and green leaves ; this latter is generally the uppermost layer 

 on which the eggs are laid. Eggs normally three in number, a broad and 

 perfect oval in shape ; texture rough and pitted, and with a slight gloss, 

 and unspotted white. 272 to 2 -8 inches in length, and from 2'i to 2-15 in 

 breadth. 



80. PolioaetUS hlimiliS, Mull and Schleg. Verz. Nat. Gesch. Zool. 

 Aves. p. 47 pi 6 ; Kaup. Contr. Orn. 1850, p. 73 ; Wall. Ibis. 1868, p. 14 j 

 Walden. Tr. Z. S. viii. p. 35; Sharpe, Cat. Acer. p. 454. Ichthyaetus 

 nanus, Bly. J. A< S. JL xi. p. 202. Pandion humilis, Gray, Gen. JB. i. 

 p. 17; Blyih, Ibis. 1866, p. 244; Sir. F. v. p. 130; id. ix. 244. The 

 LESSER SEA EAGLE. 



Adult female. Above ashy brown ; the back and wings darker and more 

 chocolate brown ; the feathers of the crown and hind neck slightly fulvescent 

 towards their tips ; lores and an indistinct eyebrow whitish ; cheeks, throat, 

 breast and under wing coverts entirely ashy brown ; a few whitish streaks on 

 the throat and forepart of cheeks ; lower abdomen, thighs, vent, and under tail 

 coverts white ; primaries black, whitish at base of inner web ; secondaries brown 

 like the back ; tail pale brown at base, gradually becoming darker brown to- 

 wards the tip which is white ; bill and cere dusky lead colour ; feet pale bluish 

 white ; iris light yellow. 



Length. 23 inches ; wing 6'2; tail 8 ! 8 ; tarsus 2.85 ; culmen 2*05. 



The young is brown with large fulvous tippings to the feathers. Length. 



.8-5. 



Hal). From Assam, down the Malayan Peninsula, to Sumatra and Celebes. 

 Found in N.-E. Cachar ; also Bengal. 



SUB-ORDER. STRIGES 



or 

 NOCTURNAL BIRDS OF PREY. 



Head large, eyes surrounded with a circle of radiating feathers forming 

 a facial disk and directed forwards; ears large. Nostrils generally hidden 

 by stiff bristles ; feet generally feathered to the toes ; outer toe reversible ; tibia 

 more than double the length of tarsus ; plumage soft and fluffy. 



