222 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 



11.— Falco jugger, G. B. Gray, 



Female. — Length, 19'4 ; expanse, 44*0 ; wing, 14"4 ; tail, 9'3 ; 

 tarsus, 1'9 ; tarsus feathered in front, 0*7 ; bill from gape, 1*2 ; 

 bill from anterior margin of cere, straight, 0'8 ; length of cere, 

 0'25 ; mid-toe, 1'9 ; closed wings short of tail, 2"0 ; weight, 

 lib. 5 ozs. 



Bill blue at base, dark horny blue at tip ; cere, gape, and 

 orbital skin pale plumbeous grey ; irides rich brown ; feet pale 

 bluish grey ; claws horny black. 



This fine young Laggar was shot in my garden (Valley) in 

 January. The Falcon had perched in a pine tree, and the first 

 notice of its arrival was given by the vociferous cawing of a 

 crowd of Crows (C splendens) surrounding the tree. When 

 picked up the Laggar was found to have a freshly-killed Maina 

 (Acridotheres tristis) firmly clutched in its claws. To the best 

 of my belief this was the only occasion on which I met with 

 this Falcon in !Nepal, and I imagine that it is not common in 

 the valley. 



16.— Falco chiquera, Daud. 



Three males. — Length, 11-6 to 12*5; expanse, 24*7 to 25*2; 

 wing, 7"9 to 8*1; tail, 5*7 to 5"9 ; tarsus, 1'32 to 1'5 ; bill from 

 gape, 0"8 to 0"85 ; bill at front, 0'73 to 0'75 ; closed wings 

 short of tail, 1*6 to ]'9. 



Three females.— Length, 13'8 to 13-9 ; expanse, 28*3 to 28*8 ; 

 wing, 8"9 to 9'2 ; tail, 6*6 to 6*8 ; tarsus, l'5tol"6; tarsus 

 feathered in front, 0'4 to 0*5 ; bill from gape, 0*9 to 0-95 ; bill 

 at front, 0-78 to 0*8 ; length of cere, 0*22 to 0-25 ; weight, 9 ozs. 



Bill bluish black at tip, greenish yellow at base ; cere, gape, 

 and orbital skin bright, slightly greenish yellow ; iris brown, dark 

 in young birds, lightish in adults ; feet rich yellow ; claws black. 



This pretty Falcon is very common in the valley of Nepal, 

 where it lives throughout the year, and breeds. It is usually 

 found about groves and gardens, or large solitary pipal trees, 

 nearly always in couples, and sometimes three or four birds 

 too-ether. Its chief prey in the valley seems to be Passer mon- 

 tanus. The Turamti breeds in Nepal from January to March. 

 In the Kesidency grounds it usually selects the top of a pine 

 tree (P. longifolia) as the site of its nest, and the nest is nearly 

 always so well concealed as to be quite invisible from below. 

 The Falcon seems to be very irascible at all seasons, but while 

 breeding, its peculiar shrill querulous scream may be heard at 

 all hours of the day as it sallies from the tree on which its nest 

 is placed to drive away all crows or kites that dare to approach 

 too near to its home. 



