292 JO URNAL, B 0MB A Y NA TUBAL KIST. SO CIETY, Vol XX VII. 



came down like a bullet, striking the kite fair and 

 square, though the latter turned over to meet the 

 blow with its upturned claws. The kite staggered 

 as the falcon passed on her downward swoop, to rise 

 almost vertically to her pitch, and down she came again 

 " raking " the kite badly as the latter zigzagged down- 

 wards to avoid the falcon's talons, and this time a 

 handful of feathers floated in the breeze behind. The 

 kite appeared to be in a bad way and had somehow 

 injured one wing. It did not attempt to rise but 

 flew straight ahead and distinctly lop-sided. The 

 falcon after her stoop, rose again only to about the 

 level of her quarry, turned and went straight for it, 

 the two birds flying at each other, and "bound" with 

 out the least hesitation and the two came down in 

 spirals with wings extended. As thej^ came to earth 

 we found that the falcon had got the kite with one 

 claw by the neck and the other was firmly imbedded 

 in the shoulder of the kite, Avhereas both claws of the 

 kite were round the tarsi of the falcon. 



Nothing is known of the nidification of this species 

 in India. 



Type H. 



Genus Falco. 



No. 1259. Falco milvipes. The Shanghar Falcon. 



Characteristics. Size medium, wing in male about 14" and in female 



about 16 " ; 1st primary subequal to 3rd or shorter. 

 Adults banded with rufous on back wings and tail. 

 Colouration. " Crown brown, the feathers with broad rufous mar- 



gins, still broader and mixed with bufE on the nape; 

 cheek-stripe black, ill defined ; lores and forehead 

 whitish. Upper plumage and tail brown, with rufous 

 cross-bars throughout (somewhat as in a female Kest- 

 rel) ; inner webs of primaries mostly covered by con- 

 fluent white bars, except near the tips of the feathers ; 

 lower parts buff or white with spots on the breast 

 abdomen, and flanks, those on the breast and middle 

 of the abdomen disappearing in old birds." 



" In young birds the rufous bars are irregular and 

 iU-marked, and those on the tail more or less imperfect. 

 In this stage F. milvipes is very hke F. cherrug, but 

 may generally be distinguished by some of the bars 

 going quite across the tail feathers. A nestling from 

 Tibet in the Hume collection, attributed to this species, 

 has, however, the tail absolutely unbarred." 



" Bill bluish, black at the tip ; cere, legs and feet 

 yellow." (Blanford). 

 Measurements. Length of female about 23" ; tail 9'' ; wing 16" ; 



tarsus 2'2 ; mid-toe without claw 2 ; bill from gape 

 .1-35: length of male about 20 ; tail 7i ; wing 14. 

 (Blanford). 

 Habits, etc. This is a rare winter visitor to the plains of India 



and little is known about it. 



