THE BIRDS OF PREY OF THE PUNJAB. 



293 



I cannot remember ever having seen it on the plains 

 or in captivity, though on two occasions I have seen 

 a bird which, I think, must have been this species 

 high up in the Himalayas, once late in the autumn 

 and on the other occasion early in the spring. 



On both occasions the bird I saw appeared to have 

 a very white and glistening breast and mider parts, 

 though I saw them at fairly close quarters I could 

 not be sure of their identity. 



Of its distribution Blanford says—" Tibet and Mon- 

 golia. A few birds have been obtained in the Pun- 

 jab at times, and one by Sir 0. St. John at Quetta." 

 Nothing appears to be known of its nidification." 



Genus Falco. 



No. 1260. Falco subbufeo. The Hobby. 



Characteristics. 

 Colouration. 



Measurements. 

 Habits, etc. 



Size small, wing about 11"; tarsus about 1^" or 

 less; mid-toe ^vithout claw about ly ; " Breast white 

 or buff with brown streaks ". 



Head, cheek strijoe and the side of the head, beneath 

 and behind the eye, blackish ; the superciUum and 

 forehead whitish and a partial collar of buff on the 

 hind-neck. Rest of upper plumage dark slaty grey, the 

 tail feathers barred with dull rufous on the inner webs. 

 Quills blackish with rufous bars. 



Under surface white, or whitish tinged with buff 

 and each feather with a deep brown streak ; the thigh 

 coverts, abdomen and under tail coverts rufous oi- 

 deep ferruginous. 



Young birds are usually blackish above with buff 

 or fulvous edges to the feathers. Cheek and throat 

 fulvous or pale rufous, as also the under parts generally 

 the latter with dark brown streaks to the feathers. 



" Bill bluish, with a black tip ; lower base of bill, 

 cere, and orbital skin greenish yellow ; irides intense 

 brown ; legs orange (Cripps) "' — (Blanford). 



"Length of female about 13"; tail 6; wing 11 ; 

 tarsus r 4 ; mid-toe without claw 1 " 25 ; bill from 

 gape 8 : of a male wing 10" 25 ; tail 5-5". (Blanford). 



This beautiful httle falcon is by no means rare in 

 the Himalayas and its wonderful evolutions in the 

 air cannot help attracting attention. Its long pointed 

 wings make it appear bigger than it really is, and one 

 often has to look twice to make sure that it is not a 

 Shaheen one sees. If watched for a few seconds it 

 will be seen to constantly change direction and turn 

 and twist in the air in a most amazing way ui pursuit 

 of insects, on which it mostly preys. The Hobby does 

 not usally make its appearance till late in the afternoon 

 and may be seen ending, stooping, rising vertically, 

 and playing extraordinary tricks in the air, sometime 

 after all diurnal birds have gone to rest. 



In spite of its extreme rapidity of flight, from a fal- 

 coner's pomt of view the Hobbies are disappointing 

 as they lack the dash and daring of the Merlin. They 



