122 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY 
striking birds unless it can be thrown at them before they 
have fairly got off the ground; and if it once misses its prey 
it commotly gives up the chase at once and perches on a 
branch of some neighbouring tree, where the hawker has to 
follow and coax the bird to return to him by repeated cries 
of Kelang, Kelang (come, come’. I have often seen it strike 
hares (Lepus Yarkandensis\, which it seems to do rather 
cleverly ; and occasionally when there is a dearth of game 
itis thrown at Crows (C. intermedius) and Owls (Otus vulgarus) 
which fall easy victims. Pigeons escape from it readily, and 
the only occasion on which I saw this Hawk flown at a Pheasant 
(Phasianus Shawi) the quarry escaped by settling at once 
among the rushes. The method of hawking Ducks (dnas 
boschas) as practised during the winter, is as follows. When 
a flock of Ducks is seen on some frozen stream or marshy 
ground, the hawker endeavours to approach as near as he 
can under cover; and when concealment is no longer possible 
he gallops his horse over the frozen ground right at the floek. 
His right arm his held straight away ‘from his body, the Goshawk 
sitting on his gauntleted hand with its neck thong held between 
the man’s fingers to keep the bird’s body well forward. The 
alarmed quarry now begins to rise from the ground, and at 
this moment the Hawk is cast forward above the flock, one 
of which it generally manages to strike. The Goshawk having 
seized its prey comes to the ground and proceeds to give 
the Duck a violent wrench, by ‘elevating one foot and depre ess- 
ing the other; then craniny its neck, as if in exultation, it 
begins at once to tear up and eat the quivering victim. 
24,—Accipiter nisus, Lin. 
8. Kashghar, 28th November.—Length, 12°6; wing, 8°25 
tail, 64; tarsus, 2°2; bill, from gape, 08. Bill dark blue 
at tip, brownish and yellowish horny at base; cere, green- 
ish yellow; irides, yellow; legs and feet, yellow; claws, 
brownish black. 
8. Kashghar, 19th December.—Length, 12°8; wing, 85; 
tail, 6°75; tarsus, 2°25; bill, from gape, 0°8. Bill dark 
bluish, light horny at base below ; cere, greenish yellow ; irides, 
yellow; leas and feet, pale yellow ; ; claws, brownish black. 
The Sparrow-hawk is found in great numbers in the hills 
south of Yarkand, where it breeds. It visits the plains in 
considerable numbers, in the beginning of winter. It is rather 
prized for hawking Be is tr ained to capture Larks, Quail and 
Pigeons (0. conas) : ; in the hills it is said also to hunt Chicore. 
Two specimens were preserved at Kashghar in November 
and December, and I have seen others procured from the 
