8, Notes on the Lagar Falcon (Falco j^tgffer). 



By Lii'.UT.-COLONEL D. C. Phillott, Secretary, Board of ^ 



, Examiners. 



(Plate No. I.) 



I 



In Hindnstani the female of this very common falcon is called 

 lagar *^T luyh'r, and the male jh'uiar. Jei-don gives the weight of a 

 female as 1-lb. 4 oz. The lightest weight, however, recorded by 

 me is 1-lb. 6| oz , and the heaviest 1-lb. 8 oz. 



This common Indian falcon is unknown to the falconers of 

 Baghdad or of Persia. Blanford says it occurs in Baluchistan 

 about Khelat and Quetta, but has not been met with farther 

 west, I do not recollect liaving seen one jmywhere between Fort 

 Munro and Kingri in Mritish Baluchistan.' Blanford further says 

 that F. jug-jer has not been observed in Assam and liurma. How- 

 ever in Vol XVII, No. 2, of the Journal of the Bombay Natural 

 History Society, 1906 (p. 495), under a "List of Birds found 

 in the Myingyan District of Burma," by K C. Macdonald, the 

 author writes : '^ Falco Juyger, the Lugger Falcon, local name 

 ' Gyo-theing ' — the only true falcon I have observed in the dis- 

 trict. It is however, common and breeds freely on the high cotton 

 trees near the river and elsewhere from January to March." The 

 late Sardar Sher Ali, once Wali of Kandahar, told me that the 

 lagar was not found in Afghanistan. I, however, frequently ob- 

 served it, one year, between November and February, in the 

 little hill-station of Parichinar, close to the Paiwar Kotal, 



In a wild state this f ;ilcon preys on small birds, such as quails 

 starlings,^ parroquets, house pigeons, Hnd also on soTia lizards ( Uro- 

 'inasttxi, bats, locusts ^ and perhaps, like the Saker falcon,* on field- 

 rats. Unlike Shahins and Peregrines it will carry off chickens. 

 Probably it also preys on See-see Partridges, and in the spring 

 on the Short-eared 



India. 



Owls {Aszo accip'frinus) migrating out of 



Under a lagafs eyrie in a cliff I have found the fea- 



1 have seen a 



thers of numerous kestrels, ^ and of a few shikran 

 pair of these plucky falcons drive away f-om their hunting ground 

 a female Saker Falcon {chargh) that had intruded, and another pair 

 stoop at and harass a fox ; and I have trustworthy information 

 of a wild layafs stooping repeatedly at a hare. Villagers have 

 sometimes told me that lagars kill ® hares. Lieut.-Colonel S, 



I r 



A I, however, frequently observed Shahins ne^ir these placoR throughout 



the breediinf season. 



^ It is generally supposed th^t hawks do not prey on starlino's a« the 

 flesh is bitter. 1 have seen wild Sakers (F. Cherrng) wg well as lagarfi stoop 

 and break up a flock of starlings 1 have, too seen wHd Shaliins (F. pere- 

 grinator, etc.) fly at them, hujr^ing the ground till underueaith the flock, and 

 then sndilenly «hootri'g np into its midst. 



3 In Tttdirt. all hawks feed on lof^nsta. 



* F <'herrag, the Saker or Cherrug Falcon; called Charf/h in India and 

 Charkh in Afghanisfcj'n. 



^ Triuned peregrin'^s will sometimes fly at kestrilg. I once lost a saker 

 for some twenty minntes and found that she had killed and earon a wild 



shikra (AbIuv badins). 



« The Indian hare of the plains rarely, if ever, exceeds SJlbs. in weights 



