174 MY LAST NOTES ON THE AVIFAUNA OF SIND. 



should be inclined to do, as not sufficiently well ascertained, 

 Charadrius pluvialis and Sterna dougalli, 369. 



\2bis. — Falco barbarus, Lin. 



This species is by no means uncommon in Lower Sind 

 during the cold season ; in fact, to judge from my experience, 

 it is more common than babylonicus, peregrinus or sacer, which 

 latter I never procured. 



Of the present species I shot three, two at Hyderabad and one 

 at Karachi, and append measurements of the specimens, 

 which have been identified by the Editor, in whose museum 

 they now are : — 



Tail. Bill at front. Bill from ^ape. Expanse. 



5-75 1* 112' 32-75. 



60 1 112 3425. 



60 1 112 32 5. 



The first male, which was quite adult, had the legs and feet 

 deep lemon yellow ; the bill, bluish plumbeous, yellowish at 

 the base and tipped blackish plumbeous. 



In the others, which were in immature plumage, the bill 

 was yellowish horny at base, dusky slatey at tip ; legs, feet, 

 orbital skin and cere, lemon yellow; irides, dark brown. One 

 of the most striking characteristics in the plumage of the 

 adult bird is the rufous halo that surrounds the moustachial 

 stripe. 



I saw one in pursuit of a pair of Whistling Teal {Dendrocygna 

 javanica, Horsf. ) near Hyderabad on the 15th November 

 this year. The Ducks, which must have been disturbed from 

 some neighbouring piece of water, passed me at a thousand 

 miles an hour, with the Falcon in close pursuit, and dashed head 

 first into a small tank near which I was standing, 

 diving simultaneously the moment they reached the water. The 

 Falcon swept backwards and forwards over the tank for some 

 minutes, stooping at the birds whenever they appeared above 

 the water, but they were too quick for him, diving at each 

 l< stoop" just in time to avoid his talons, and eventually he 

 gave it up and left the tank. 



31.— Aquila pennata, Gmel. 



I found the Dwarf or Booted Eagle not uncommon in the 

 neighbourhood of Hyderabad last cold weather, and shot one 

 very handsome specimen with the lower surface white, streaked 

 with dark brown, measuring — Length, 19'25; wing, 15; ex- 

 panse, 47. I saw other specimens with the lower surfaces 

 reddish brown. 



* Including cere. 



