60 CALCUTTA SPARROW-HAWK. 
The Calcutta Sparrow-Hawk, or Brown's Hawk, is well known as 
the Shikra, and is common throughout the whole of India. " It 
frequents," says Mr. Jerdon, ("Birds of India," p. 49, vol. i,) "open 
jungles, groves, gardens, and avenues. It either takes a low stealthy 
flight along the edges of a wood, garden, or hedgerow, and pounces 
on any unwary bird or lizard, or soars high in circles, and pounces 
down when it sees any prey. Its general food appears to be lizards, 
but it frequently seizes small birds, rats, or mice, and sometimes 
does not disdain a large grasshopper. It is more commonly trained 
than any other Hawk in India. It is very quickly and easily reclaimed, 
and though not remarkable for speed, can yet seize quails and par- 
tridges, if put up sufficiently close. It is, however, a bird of great 
courage, and can be taught to strike a large quarry, such as the 
common crow, the small grey hornbill, the crow pheasant, (Cejitrojms ,) 
young pea-fowl, and small herons." 
My figure is a male from India, kindly sent me by Mr. Gurney. 
It is in adult plumage, but has not attained the five years old livery 
described by Mr. Jerdon. It is one of the birds referred to in the 
table. For the sake of comparison I have also given a copy of 
Hiippell's figure of Accipiter sphenurus, reduced to the same scale of 
one third natural size, (Vide "System. Uebers. der Vog. Nord. Ost. 
Africas," pi. 2.) 
