416 FALCONIDJE. 



unspotted, the breast and abdomen marked with longitudinal 

 drops, but the lower abdomen is sometimes unspotted. 



The Himalayan birds have been separated by Hume as F. atri- 

 ceps, chiefly on account of the cheek-stripe being fused, in the type 

 specimen, into a black cap with the black of the crown and nape. 

 This, however, is merely an individual character. The Himalayan 

 race, as already remarked, is generally paler rufous below and the 

 abdomen is greyer (though by no means so grey as it is represented 

 in Gurney's figure in the ' Ibis '). The markings on the lower 

 parts, too, are more persistent. 



Bill slaty blue, dark at the tip ; cere, orbits, and legs yellow ; 

 irides intense brown (Jerdon). 



Length of a female about 18 inches; tail 6-5; wing 13; tarsus 2; 

 mid-toe without claw 2'1 ; bill from gape 1*25 : of a male, length 

 15 ; wing 11*5. 



Distribution. A resident species in forests and well-wooded 

 tracts throughout India, Ceylon, and Burma, but nowhere common 

 and in general very rare. The original type was captured at sea in 

 lat. 6 20' N. between Ceylon and Sumatra, 70 Swedish miles (460 

 British) from the Nicobar Islands, but no specimens have as yet 

 been obtained in the Malay countries. West of India the Shahin 

 is said to be found in Afghanistan, and a rufous Falcon, perhaps 

 the same, is well known by the name Shahin to falconers in Persia, 

 Mr. A. Anderson records the capture of a male midway between 

 Bombay and Aden. 



Habits, Sfc. This beautiful Falcon is chiefly found about rocky 

 hills in or near forest ; it preys on partridges, quails, and other 

 birds, but especially on pigeons and parroquets. It is somewhat 

 crepuscular, hunting in the early morning and late in the evening, 

 and it has been observed to kill bats and goatsuckers. This 

 is the Falcon most highly prized by Indian falconers, and the 

 following account of the method of hawking with it is taken from 

 Jerdon : 



" The Shabin is always trained for what, in the language of 

 Falconry, is called a standing gait, that is, is not slipped from the 

 hand at the quarry, but made to hover and circle high in the air 

 over the Falconer and party, and when the game is started, it then 

 makes its swoop, which it does with amazing speed. It is indeed 

 a beautiful sight to see this fine bird stoop on a partridge or 

 florikin, which has been flushed at some considerable distance 

 from it, as it often makes a wide circuit round the party. As 

 soon as the Falcon observes the game which has been flushed, it 

 makes two or three onward plunges in its direction, and then darts 

 down obliquely with half closed wings on the devoted quarry, with 

 more than the velocity of an arrow. The Shahin is usually 

 trained to stoop at partridges and florikin, also occasionally at 

 the stone-plover and the jungle-fowl. It will not hover in the 

 air so long as the Laggar, which, being of a more patient and 

 docile disposition, will stay up above an hour." 



In his description of the Laggar, Jerdon writes : " Laggars, as 



