1868.] MR. R. C. BEAVAN ON INDIAN RAl'TORES. 393 



tion on the line of the East-Indian Railway, distant from Calcutta 

 only 120 miles. In the small intervening space of low, wet, and 

 rice-covered ground it is never to be seen ; but directly the dry, sandy, 

 corn-producing country occurs, there it is to be found in abundance. 

 It is occasionally seen in the uplands of ]Mauubhoom and Bancoorah, 

 but may be described as rare in the latter district, except sometimes 

 in the cold weather. It is especially abundant at Allahabad and at 

 Umballah, where the late Dr. Scott made several observations on it 

 during his long residence there. Some of his notes I subjoin. The 

 sexes copulate on the ground, and, unlike most birds, take some time 

 about this operation. They breed about Umballah in March ; and 

 although during the time I was at that station in the spring of 1866 

 I was unable to secure a nest. Dr. Scott told me that there are gene- 

 rally one or two in his garden, and promised me the eggs, which I 

 subsequently got. Its range extends as far into the Himalayas as 

 Simla, where, with the Bearded Vulture, Milvus govinda, and Gyps 

 bengalensis, it performs its share of the scavenger work of the station, 

 and is consequently of the greatest use. A Simla specimen had the 

 irides a reddish-pink colour, and legs fleshy. Jerdon gives "dark 

 brown " for the first, and dirty yellow for the colour of the legs. 



7. Gypaetus barbatus, Linn. The Bearded Vulture. 



Simla, July 20th, 1866. A fine specimen of a young male sent 

 to me by Col. Tytler, which had been shot by his son in the station. 

 Sex, by dissection, a male. The bird when brought was still ahve, so 

 that the colour of the fleshy parts here given may be depended on. 

 Length 45 inches ; wing 29 \; tail 20^; tarsus 4^ ; bill at gape 3|, at 

 front 3, height of bill at base I| in. ; extent across wings 8 ft. 4|in. 

 Irides pale buflF colour, sclerotic membrane orange-red ; bill greenish 

 horny ; feet bluish plumbeous. 



This bird is very abundant at Simla, and may generally be seen 

 quartering slowly over a certain beat along the hill-sides. It does 

 not appear at all warj^ as I frequently saw it over Col. Tytler's 

 house, which happened to be favourably'placed under a well-known 

 beat of the species along the sides of Mount Jacko. I have seen 

 it after dead cattle, in company with other Vultures, a few miles 

 from Kalka, close to the foot of the hills, elevation perhaps 500 ft. 

 I never observed this bird in the Darjeeling hills ; but it doubtless 

 exists there. 



11. Falco jugger, Gray. The Luggar Falcon. 



I only once procured a specimen of this species, at Ambekanuggur 

 in the Maunbhoom district, in January 1865. 



16. Hypotriorchis chiquera, Daud. The Turunti or Red- 

 headed Merlin. 



Umbahah, November 5, 18C6. Shot the S out of a pair which 

 were alternately stooping on the racecourse at the small Lark Pipit. 

 Length 12^ inches ; wing 8 ; tail 5^ ; tarsus \-J-^ ; spread of foot un- 

 derneath 2^ ; bill at front ^, at gape I, height at base 4 : cere and 



