530 ASTUR 



faintly marked with colour, are laid in April or May, and 

 measure about 2*43 by 1*80. Specimens from Asia, and espe- 

 cially from Kamchatka (^4. candidissimus, Dyb.), are very pale 

 and may almost be considered as a subspecies. In North 

 America the Goshawk is replaced by Astur atricapillus (Wils.) 

 which differs in having the under parts closely freckled, not 

 barred or narrowly vermiculated with ashy brown. This species 

 is said to have been once obtained in Scotland, and once in 

 Ireland. 



746. SHIKRA. 

 ASTUR BADIUS. 



Astur badius (Ginel.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 280 (1788) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. 

 Mus. i. p. 109 ; (Dresser), ix. p. 273, pi. 693 ; Blaiif. F. Brit. Ind. 

 Birds, iii. p. 398 ; A. dussumieri, Temm. PI. Col. i. pis. 308, 336 

 (1824) ; A. cenchroides, Severtz. Turk. Jevot. p. 113 (1873). 



Kyrgui, Tekke ; Shikra $ Chipka J , Hindu. ; Kurula-goya, 

 Cing. ; Thane, Burm. 



ad. (India). Upper parts ashy grey ; quills blackish towards the 

 tip ; outer tail-feathers with blackish bars ; sides of head tinged with, 

 rufous ; chin whitish ; under parts rusty red narrowly barred with white ; 

 bill dusky black ; cere, legs, and iris yellow. Gape 07, wing 7'5, tail 6'3, 

 tarsus 2'0 inch. Female similar but larger. The young bird is brown 

 above, the feathers at first with rufous edges ; conspicuous white bars on 

 the head and nape ; all the tail-feathers barred ; under parts white with 

 large elongate brown spots; usually a median brown stripe on the 

 throat. 



Hob. Transcaspia ; Persia ; Turkestan ; the whole of India 

 and Ceylon ; Burma ; Siam ; Cambodia, and southern China. 



Extremely active and courageous in its habits this Hawk will 

 attack birds larger than itself. It inhabits the plains, as well 

 as the hills up to an altitude of about 5000 feet, and is not to 

 be found in the thick forests or in the desert. Its flight is 

 steady and direct, but it sometimes soars and circles at a con- 

 siderable altitude. Its note is a shrill two-note whistle or 

 scream. It feeds on mice, insects, small reptiles, and birds, and 

 will also take toll from the poultry yards. Its nest is a some- 

 what loose structure of small sticks, lined with fine roots, and is 

 placed at a considerable altitude in a tree, and its eggs, usually 

 4, but occasionally 5 in number, are bluish white, very seldom 

 faintly marked with colour, and in size average about T55 

 bv 1-22. 



