306 THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 



11.— Micronisus badius, Gm. (23). 



One adult specimen, shot 25th April, which apparently 

 belongs to the pale race to which Severtzoff gave the name of 

 Astur cenckroides. 



[The plumage of this specimen is in a very remarkable 

 stage : it is of a pale tone throughout ; and the ferruginous 

 bands on the upper breast are continued into a broad con- 

 spicuous collar of ferruginous buff completely encircling the 

 neck, and contrasting with the brownish grey of the head 

 and upper back, into which it shades above and below. The 

 outer tail-feathers are banded as in the specimen described 

 by Blanford in bis " Zoology of Eastern Persia," No. 18, 

 p. 108, as Astur cenckroides (?) ; and the present specimen 

 agrees well with the description throughout, except that the 

 barring of the lower surface is narrower and closer — in this 

 respect agreeing with Indian examples of M. badius, to which 

 species it is doubtless referable. Sex, male. Dimensions — 

 Length, 13*6 inches ; expanse, 3265 ; wing, 7'8 ; tail, 65 ; tar- 

 sus, 1*63 ; culmen, 0*5 ; middle toe, 1*15. "Weight, 5'25 oz. 

 Irides, bright orange ; cere, yellowish green ; legs, horny green ; 

 feet, dull yellow. A young male of this species, shot on 1st Sep- 

 tember, is identical with other Indian examples. — Gr.F.L.M.] 



12. — Accipiter nisus, Lin. (24). 



Very common, except in the depth of winter. I took a 

 nest and four hard-set eggs on the 23rd June. The nest was 

 in a fir tree, about thirty feet from the ground, and an elevation 

 of about 10,000 feet. The collection contains a very fine 

 series of these birds, eleven females and eight males. 



13.— Accipiter melaschistus, Hume. (24 bis). 



The collection contains one specimen which, if the sex is 

 rightly ascertained, is clearly referable to this species. Unfor- 

 tunately the determination of sex was made by one of the 

 native collectors ; but as the man had had many years' expe- 

 rience, and the bird was killed in July, it seems hardly cre- 

 dible that a mistake should have been made. 



Sex, male. Wing just short of 10 inches ; tail, 8*5. The 

 claws are decidedly larger and more powerful than in female 

 specimens of A. nisus of similar general dimensions; and the 

 plumage agrees closely with Hume's original description. 



14.— Aquila chrysaetus, Lin. (26). 



To be seen at all times of the year, generally in pairs. I 

 have constantly seen them stoop at Partridges (Caceabis 

 chukor.) 



