780 ON THE "RAPTORIAL BIRDS OF N.W. INDIA." [Dec. 5, 



I trust Mr. Gurney will pardon my protesting against the belief that 

 my Falcon was a " ticket-of-leave " bird, 



48. Poliornis teesa, Frankl. 



In tbe coloured eggs of the White-eyed Buzzard referred to in 

 my last communication on this subject*, we have a very good illus- 

 tration of the importance of oology as an element in the classification 

 of birds, showing that Poliornis forms, as it were, the connecting 

 link between the genera Buteo and Circusf. 



During the past spring I was so fortunate as to obtain two pairs 

 of even better-coloured eggs than those above alhided to. These I 

 will endeavour to describe as follows : — (i.) Nest of two eggs, Fut- 

 tehgurh, 5th April, 18/5. These are somewhat undersized, in shape 

 of a broad oval, and freely marked with reddish-brown specks at the 

 obtuse end. In one specimen the markings extend more or less all 

 over the surface of tbe egg. (ii.) Nest of two eggs, Futtehgurh, 

 27th April 18/6. A full-sized pair; one is a broad oval, the other 

 somewhat pyriform. The former has a few russet-brown blotches at 

 one end only, one of the marks being the size of a large pea. The 

 colouring-matter in the companion egg is confined to the compressed 

 end, covering about a fifth of the surface, and consists of delicate 

 russet-brown veined or map-like markings, which are so characteristic 

 of the Bunting group. 



Admitting my weakness for oological discoveries, I must not omit 

 to mention that on April 12th I took a clutch of Jive eggs of Micro - 

 7iisns Ladius, which is in excess of the number hitherto recorded. 

 Another sitting of four, taken three days later, are freely marked 

 with minute specks of a reddish-brown colour. I venture to say 

 Mr. Hume is in enor in assiguing only three eggs to this Hawk as a 

 general rule J; for, according to my experience, four is the normal 

 number if the bird is allowed time to lay the full complement. 



I have also recently come across two very prolific pairs of Athene 

 brama, capturing both the $ birds in their nest-holes : the one had 

 laid six eggs ; while the other was sitting on the usual number, four, 

 but laid a fifth in my hand. 



Though not coming strictly within my limits, I may mention the 

 capture at Allahabad, on Oct. 10th of the past year, of a $ Spi- 

 za'etus nipalensis, regarding which Mr. Cockburn, the Curator of the 

 Museum at that place, has favoured me with the following particu- 

 lars : — Length 2/*5; expanse 58"5 ; wing 1 7*5 ; tail from vent 12; 

 tarsus 3"5. Crest rudimentary. This is the first specimen of 

 this bird that has, to my knowledge, been procured in the Alla- 

 habad district §. I knocked it over with a charge of No. 10 shot 

 while in the act of devouring a Crow-Pheasant." 



* Cf. P. Z. S. for 1875, p. 25. 



t Cf. ' Nests and Eggs,' pt. i. p. 51, where tbe only known eggs of P. liviventer 

 are described as having a " very few tiny pale brown and purplish brown 

 specks " on them. 



| Cf. ' Nests and Eggs,' pt. i. p. 25. 



§ Mr. Hume, in his article on Spizaetus cirrhatus, ' Rough Notes,' p. 20fi, 

 records 8. nipalensis from Etawah ; but I have not yet met with this specie? 

 myself in the Plains 



