242 FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS OF 



0*80 ; bill at front, 0*67 ; closed wings fall short of end of tail, 

 0*33; weight, 8*12 oz. Irides intense brown; cere greenish 

 yellow ; orbital skin greenish yellow ; mouth inside deep leaden 

 colour ; legs orange yellow ; claws black ; bill above bluish, 

 with a black tip ; bill below, base greenish yellow ; rest bluish ; 

 ovaries minute. 



The above specimen was the only one I ever saw ; it was 

 shot while flying at a tremendous pace overhead at dusk. 



16.— Falco chiquera, Baud. 



5th February 1878, Male. — Length, 11*50; expanse, 24*0 ; 

 wing, 7*75 ; tail from vent, 5*58 ; tarsus, 1*33 ; bill from gape, 

 0*83 ; bill at front, including cere, 0*60 ; closed wings fall short 

 of end of tail, 1*75. 



6th April 1878, Male.—- Length, 11*50 ; expanse, 23*0 ; wing, 

 7'50 ; tail from vent, 5*50 ; tarsus, 1*33 ; bill from gape, 0*83 ; 

 bill at front, including cere, 070 ; closed wings fall short of end 

 of tail, 1*58 ; weight, 5*62 oz. Irides dark brown ; legs orange 

 yellow. 



Common and a permanent resident. Although I failed to find 

 a nest I saw a young bird in June 1877, in the possession of 

 one of the Boonooa coolies who said he had got it in Baisakh 

 (April) from a nest which was on a large Peepul tree in the 

 factory compound. There were three young ones in this nest 

 which was placed about twenty feet off the ground. Mynahs and 

 such like small birds form their principal food, though they do 

 not disdain stooping at even Mirafra assamica. They freely 

 enter groves and gardens in pursuit of prey. 



17.— Cerchneis tinnuncula, Lin. 



20th January 1878, Male.— Length, 14*75 ; wing, 10*42 ; 

 tail from vent, 7*25; tarsus, 1*42 ; bill from gape, 0*90 ; bill at 

 front, including cere, 0*60 ; closed wings fall short of end of 

 tail, 0*50. 



Very common in the cold Weather. I kept a wounded 

 one in confinement for over a month ; at first I offered it 

 small birds and rats, but it would not touch them ; frogs 

 however were eaten eagerly. When a frog was let loose in 

 the room, the bird would utter a few squeaking notes and com- 

 mence by picking out the eyes. It eventually died notwith- 

 standing all my care. I saw one of these birds as late as the 

 29th of March ; by the end of that month they disappear from 

 the district. 



