284 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIl. 



During the day the Peregrine betakes itself to some 

 big tree overlooking a river or a jheel, and shelters from 

 the heat of the sun. It usually perches on one of the 

 thicker branches about half way uj) and seldom on the 

 topmost branches, like so many of the other falcons 

 do. 



Another favourite haimt of the Peregrine is the 

 sandy bed of the river itself. A mound of sand, a half 

 buried log, or a stump or stake in the ground, from 

 which it can view' the country for miles round, have 

 attractions for a hungry falcon. 



Whereas duck probably form its staple diet, a crow 

 colony is almost a certain find for a hungry Peregrine , 

 late in the evening. One that has failed to secure a 

 tit-bit in the shape of a duck or a dove, earlier in the 

 afternoon, vill wend its way to a crow colony sooner 

 or later, whence it need never go hungry, even though 

 the quality of the meal is not all that can be desired. 



I have alreadj^ stated that the flight of the birds 

 in this type (H) is by no means easy to describe. The 

 flight of the falcons generally is not only distinctive 

 but is capable of a more or less intelhgent description 

 but to giA^e such a description as will enable a novice 

 to differentiate between the different members of this 

 type, is quite another matter. 



Indeed the trained eye has to depend on factors 

 other than shape of wings, the way they are held, length 

 of tail, etc., to separate one falcon from another on the 

 wing, and even where the flight itself is distinctive 

 the difference is subtle enough to defy description 

 thougii noticeable to the trained eye. Size and 

 colour of certain portions of the body or wings must 

 be taken into account and even then it is not always 

 possible to make absolutely certain of your bird. 



The sharp pointed (svv^allow hke) wings, the shorter 

 tail, proclaim the falcons at a glance. 



The wings are held level, i.e., on the same plane as 

 the body and even when soaring will frequently be 

 found to be slightly bent, though this is by no means 

 alwaj's the case. 



If seen at close quarters, the white or light coloured 

 breast (in the adult plumage) will help to differentiate 

 the Peregrine from the Shaheen, which has a rufous 

 breast and under parts. The latter' s black head and 

 very dark upj)er parts are also a guide to its species. 



The Barbary resembles the Shaheen except for 

 its light coloured head. 



The Laggar, in adult plumage, has a very white 

 breast, often shows a slight white patch on the under- 

 part of the wing, and the marking of the wing is also 

 " patchy ". Moreover they usually hunt in couples. 



The Cherrug or Saker Falcon is very much bigger 

 and is seldom to be found in the haunts of the Peregrine 

 or the Shaheen. It affects dry sandy tracts. 



The Merlins and Hobbies are all very much smaller. 



