AVES. 5 



Genus ASTUR. 



5. ASTUH PALUMBAHIUS. 



Astur palumbarius (L.) ; Severtz. Turkest. Jevotn. p. 63; Dresser, Ibis, 1875, p. 104; Scully, Str. F. iv. 

 p. 121 (1876) ; Prjev. in Rowley's Orn. Misc. ii. p. 153 (1877) ; Homeyer & Tancre, MT. orn. Ver. 

 Wien, 1883, p. 82; Zarudn. Ois. Transcasp. p. 25 (1885); Radde, Ornis, iii. p. 472. 



Dr. Scully gives an interesting account of the training of the Goshawk for hawking in 

 Central Asia. He says that it is said to live principally near the hills in the neighbourhood 

 of Aksu, and only visits Yarkand about the beginning of winter, when it is supposed to be 

 following the migrating water-fowl. The Turki name is '' Karchighah." 



Genus ACCIPITER. 



6. ACCIPITEH NISTJS. 



Astur nisus (L.) ; Severtz. Turkest. Jevotn. p. 63 (1873) ; Homeyer & Tancre, MT. orn. Yer. Wien, 



1883, p. 82; Radde, Ornis, iii. p. 471 (1887). 

 Accipiter nisus (L.) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. i. p. 132 (1874) ; Scully, Str. F. iv. p. 122 (1876) ; 



Dresser, Ibis, 1875, p. 104; Blanf. East. Persia, ii. p. 109 (1876); Prjev. in Rowley's Orn. Misc. ii. 



p. 153 (1877) ; Wardl. Eamsay, Ibis, 1880, p. 47; Bidd. Ibis, 1881, p. 41 ; Scully, ibid. p. 409; C. 



Swinb. Ibis, 1882, p. 99 ; Scully, J. A. S. Beng. Ivi. p. 78 (1877) ; Zarudn. Ois. Transcasp. p. 25 (1885). 



*= No. 1127. Kashghar, December 10, 1873. 



An adult female, identified by Mr. Hume as A. nisus, and not as his A. melascMstus. 

 This identification I agree with, as it is not dark enough for the latter species. 

 No. 829. Upper Karakash, October 1873. 



Colonel Biddulph states that he met with Accipiter melascJiistus in the Sindh valley, 

 but the true A. nisus he procured at Shahidula on the 21st of October, and again in 

 Wakhan. 



Dr. Scully observes : — '' The Sparrow-Hawk is found in great numbers in the hills south 

 of Yarkand, where it breeds. It visits the plains in considerable numbers in the beginning of 

 winter. It is rather prized for hawking, and is trained to capture Larks, Quail, and Pigeons 

 ((7. cenas) ; in the hills it is said to hunt Chicore. Two specimens were preserved at Kashghar 

 in November and December, and I have seen others procured from the Karchung valley in 

 May. The Turki name for the Sparrow-Hawk is ' Karghai, 



> J? 



Subfam. BUTEONIN^, 



Genus BUTEO. 

 7. BUTEO PLUMIPES. 



Buteo plumipes, Hodgs. ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. i. p. 180 (1874) ; Bidd. Ibis, 1881, p. 42 ; Scully, ibid. 



p. 421; Menzbier, Orn. Turkest. p. 185 (1889). 

 Buteo japonicus, Scully, Str. F. iv. p. 125 (1876). 



No. 1404, 6 . Ighiz Yar, March 21, 1873.— Length 20 inches, wing 16*5, tail 9*4, tarsus 3*0 ; 



expanse 52*0. Iris dark brown; bill dusky bluish, cere yellow ; feet yellow. Turki 



name '' Sa." 



This specimen is in the uniform black plumage which is generally assigned to the adult 



of B. plumipes, and I believe it to be of that species. The size of the foot is one of my 



chief characters for this determination, although it will be noticed that the length of 



the tarsus (as measured by Dr. Stoliczka) does exceed the limit of 2*9 inches allowed by 



Mr. Hume as the maximum for B. plumipes (' Eough Notes,' p. 271). 



