THE BIRDS OF PREY OF THE PU^iJAB. 



283 



A few years ago I caught a tiercel with a head and 

 nape ahnost jet black and resembUng that of the next 

 species, much more than that of the Peregrine. 



" Bill bluish, dark at tip ; cere yellow ; irides brown ; 

 legs and feet j^ellow." (Blanford). 



" Length of a female about 1 9 ; tail 7-5; wing U' 5; 

 tarsus 2- 1 ; mid-toe without claw 2* 25 ; bill from 

 gape 1 • 3 ; Males are considerably smaller : length 

 about 16 ; wing 12.5." (Blanford). 



Mr. Hume records an Indian female measuring, 

 20- 25 in length ; expanse 39 ; wing 13" 25 ; tail 6" 75 ; 

 tarsus 2*25 ; mit-toe 2" 06. 



The Peregrine Falcon is a winter visitor to the Pun- 

 jab, though it is possible that some few stragglers 

 may even breed in the Himalayas, and Hume records 

 having seen a trained Peregrine which the owner in- 

 formed him had been taken from a nest on the Indus 

 River. Personally I have never, to my certain know- 

 ledge, seen this bird in the Himalayas during the 

 summer. 



The Bliyri, by which name tliis species is known to 

 the Indian falconer, is essentially a bird of the river 

 and jheel. It arrives in Northern India just after the 

 ducks make their appearance and disappears when 

 they go . It is an early hunter and may be seen on the 

 wing just after dawn, flying low over the extensive 

 plains bordering any of our Punjab rivers. When 

 hunting, the Peregrine flies low and fast, the mngs 

 usually slightly bent back from the first joint, and 

 with fast jjowerful beats. 



On viewing ducks on a pool or a flock of doves in 

 the fields, the falcon drops to withm a few feet of the 

 ground, the beat of the wings become even faster than 

 before and the wings bend closer into the body and it 

 fairly hurls itself through the air and into the middle 

 of the flock, which will probably rise " en masse " 

 when the falcon is still a few yards distant. Having 

 selected one particular bird, the chase begins, unless 

 by good fortune for the falcon, it ends before it really 

 begins in an easy capture. Usually the dove succeeds 

 in evading those dread talons in the first instance and 

 neatly doubles back. Up rises the falcon almost ver- 

 tically to her " pitch ", turns, and shoots do^vn like 

 an arrow in the wake of its quarry following every 

 turn and twist of the latter. 



Another miss and up she goes again to repeat the 

 performance, determined to secure its breakfast before 

 the dove can reach the shelter of the trees surrounding 

 a village, not far distant. The dove reaches the fringe 

 of trees closely followed by the falcon and dashes right 

 into the branches of the nearest tree. The falcon once 

 more rises high into the air, circles round once or twice 

 in the hope of its quarry, or another bird leaving the 

 security of the trees for the open ground beyond, gives 

 up the chase and flies straight away, rising steadily as 

 it goes, to make an attack elsewhere. 



