160' Contfibutions to the Ornithology of India, S^e. 



51. — Circus pallidus, Syhes. Sioansoni, Smith. 



This was the only harrier, except Circus ar^iffinosiis, that I 

 myseli:' noticed in Sindh, and even this was far from common. I 

 irnxy repeat here (it seems so steadily overlooked in India) that 

 the only ready and, as I think, unfailing* diagnosis of females 

 and immature birds of this species is, that, when the wings are 

 jierfect, the fourth, quill is always shorter than the third, often 

 1)}'^ ftilly half an inch, while in cyanetis L., the fourth quill is 

 fully as long as, and generally somewhat longer than, the third. 



54.— Circus seruginosus, L. 



The marsh harrier was excessively common, both along" the 

 great rivers of the Punjab and Sindh, and about all the inland 

 waters of the latter province. 



In Southern Sindh and generally in the arid tracts that com- 

 pose so large a portion of the area of the province, we never 

 saw it. 



As I have already noticed in the diary, adults of this species 

 were very rare -, indeed I cannot be certain that we ever even saw 

 any, and we certainly shot none. 



55.— Haliastur indus, BoM. 



The brahminy kite was tolerably abundant about the Indus 

 and on most of the larger lakes of Upper Sindh. I saw it but 

 seldom in Lower Sindhj^aijd never in the more arid portions of 

 the province. 



56.— Milvus govinda, Syles. 



Was of course common throughout the province. Along" the 

 Mekran Coast and at Muscat where I expected to get the yellow- 

 billed kite {milvus agypiihs, Gm.) I never saw one single kite ; 

 they must have been away somewhere breeding, because, as I 

 ascertained, kites are often seen at these places. . 



56 />*§.— Milvus major, Hume. Qr^fjh.Jai, J^ji 



I saw a few specimens of the larger Indian kite hanging" about 

 the dhunds of Upper Sindh ; but I only succeeded in obtaining- a 

 single specimen. That this species is distinct from both our 

 other Indian races, M. govinda and affinis is certain ; it differs 

 not only in its greater size, and generally more brightly colored 

 plumage, but also in other particulars. In major, the chin and 

 the greater portion of the throat (I speak of adults) are nearly 

 white, while in govinda and affinis, they are whitey brown. In 

 the young this difference is not so apparent, but with a series of 

 the adults of all three species before one, it is very conspicuous. 

 Again the pale tippiugs of the central feathers of the tail and of 



