120 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY 
T have also seen it swooping at a Swallow (H. rustica) and 
sometimes hovering above fields of corn and lucerne. 
On the return journey to India in August this species was 
observed on five different occasions at our various halting stages, 
but was not seen after leaving Sanju on the 14th August. The 
Turki name for the Hobby is “ Jaghalbat.” 
15.—Lithofalco cesalon, Gmel. 
& Kashghar, 27th December.—Length, 11°6; wing, 7:9; tail, 
5:0; tarsus, 1°45 bill, from gape, 0°75. Baill plumbeons blue, 
yellowish at base ; cere, pale yellow ; irides, brown ; legs and feet, 
yellow ; claws, black. 
4 Kashghar, 10th December.—Length, 12:9; wing, 8°7; tail, 
5-65 tarsus, 1°45; bill, from gape, 0°86. Bill plumbeous blue, 
basal half of lower mandible, yellowish horny ; cere, pale yellow; 
irides, brown; legs and feet, yellow; claws, black. 
The Turki name for the Merlin is “ Zurumtai,” and it is said 
to live and breed in the hills of Hastern Turkestan. It visits 
the plains about Kashghar and Yarkand, in small numbers 
only, in winter; principally during the months of November 
and December, I think. A few birds are trained to capture 
Quails and Larks, and in this sport the Turumtai is said to 
afford great ‘tamasha.’ 
17.—Tinnunculus alaudarius, Briss. 
3 Yepchan, 16th October.—Length, 14; wing, 10°25; tail, 
71; tarsus, 1:5; bill, from gape, 0°87. Bill bluish black 
at tip, bluish grey about the middle, yellow horny at base; 
cere, greenish yellow ; irides, brown ; legs and feet, yellow ; claws, 
black. 
3 Juv, Yarkand, 30th June.—Length, 12°63; expanse, 28:4 ; 
wing, 9:15; tail, 6°8; tarsus, 1:6; bill from gape, 0°85; 
weight, 6 oz. Bill: upper mandible white at extreme tip and 
tooth, dark blue in the middle and light. grey at cere ; lower 
mandible, slaty grey; cere, greenish yellow ; eyelid and orbi- 
tal skin, yellowish green; irides, dark brown; legs and feet, 
yellow ; claws, dusky blackish. 
9 Yarkand, January.—Length, 14°8; wing, 10°6; tail, 7:5; 
tarsus, 1°6; bill, from gape, 0°91. Bill, dark blue at tip, 
greenish about middle, and yellowish horny at base; cere and 
orbits, greenish yellow ; irides, brown; legs and feet, yellow ; 
claws, bluish black. 
9. Beshkant, 6th February.—Length, 13°5 ; wing, 9:9; tail, 
7; tarsus, 1:52; bill, from gape, 0°85. Bull greyish blue, 
lower mandible yellowish horny at base ; cere, greenish yellow ; 
irides, brown: legs and feet, yellow ; claws, black. 
