REVIEW, 623 



although Hindustani cacography is subject to correction, in scientific 

 Latin it is stereotyped by priority. You may make a new species, 

 or, more easily, a new genus, but must keep your hands off a 

 venerable missyllable. 



This is by far our commonest falcon, a fine bird, little afraid of man, 

 even breeding close to his dwelling, usually in a tree, and hunting 

 over his fields and pastures. 



Falco sacevj the " Charag " or " wheeling falcon," is the largest of 

 ours, a cold weather visitor in Sind ; but often brought, by falconers, 

 much further south. It is the falcon with which the Amirs kill 

 pariah kites ; but this is accomplished only after severe training and 

 (it is said) physicking. Mr. Blanford says that it is still trained to 

 strike gazelles. In Sind that feat is now traditional of the goshawk, 

 F. milvipesj an even larger Tibetan bird, has been obtained in 

 Baluchistan, but little is known of it. 



The genus Erythropus contains two small, but (as our author justly 

 says) " beautiful " falcons, of which one, E. amurensis^ the Eastern 

 Red-legged Falcon, ranges from Manchuria to Somaliland, or there- 

 abouts, breeding, of course, near its northern limit. 



It occurs, as a rare cold weather visitor, in our province. Indeed, 

 it may be more common at the seasons of migration than we suppose, 

 having been much confused with kestrels, from which it is here well 

 separated. 



The next of the minor falcons are the merlins, ^salon (not, as too 

 often, (Esalon), little birds, with grey backs and whitish underparts, 

 by which they may be distinguished from the rtfore rufous kestrels, 

 but not always with ease in the case of the English species. However, 

 it is only, with us, a winter visitor to Sind, and it seldom hovers in 

 one spot, like the kestrel, never for long. 



The only other Indian species, the Turumti (yE. cMcquera)^ is, when 

 old, a most recognizable bird, from its clear gull-like body-plumage 

 and bright chestnut head. Young birds are of a mixed coloration, 

 rather confusing, which is probably the reason why Mr. Blanford 

 has to tell us that *' there is no young skin in the British Museum, 

 though there must be more than 50 adults ! " It is to be hoped that 

 our members loill not long allow this reproach to rest on the national 

 collection. The bird is common with us, and breeds in trees in open 



