26 Bir.DS OF INDIA. 



Bill slaty blue, dark at the tip ; cere, orbits, and legs yelloAV ; 

 irides intense brown. 



Length of a female 17^ to 18 1 inches, wing I3i, tail 0^. Length 

 of a male 15, wing lOf, tail 5^. A female weighed 1ft). lOoz. 



An individual female Sha/iin in the ]\Iuseum of the Asiatic 

 Society has the lower plumage, and especially the thigli covei'ts 

 and undcr-wing coverts, so much mixed with Avhitish, and the bars 

 so numerous and close, that I strongly suspect it to be a hybrid 

 between the, Shahin and the Peregrine. It was sent from the 

 :N. W. Himalayas. 



Sundcvall first described this Falcon in his paper on the Birds of 

 Calcutta, published at Lund in Sweden, 1838, wliich, howcA^er, was 

 not known in England till Strickland had it translated in 1846. 

 I was the first English writer Avho noticed it. Tiiis was in 1839. 

 SundcA'all obtained his specimen on boardship in N. L. 6° between 

 Ceylon and Sumatra, about 70 miles from the Nicobar Islands. 



The ASAaAut Falcon is found throuo'hout the whole of India from 

 the Ilinaalayas to tlie extreme South, extending into Aflgdianistan 

 and Western Asia. It is, however, far from being a common bird. Its 

 habitual resorts are high rocky hills, in the neighbourhood of jungle 

 and forest land, Avhether in a Ioav or mountainous country, though the 

 latter is always preferred. In the Carnatic, which is nearly devoid 

 of forest, the Shahin is but seldom met Avith, yet there are certain 

 spots even there, AAdiere individuals of the species resort to after the 

 breeding season, being chiefly young birds, and they are known to 

 breed in various parts of the range of Eastern Ghauts. Its habits 

 in a Avild state vary somcAvliat according to the kind of country 

 frequented. If a denizen of a forest, it Avatches on some lofty 

 tree at the skirts of a glade, or hovers over it, ready to pounce on 

 any unlucky bird that A^entures to cross. In more open country 

 it is necessitated to take a Avider circuit in search of its prey, and 

 is of course much more on the Aving. Such birds are more highly 

 prized for training than forest-bred birds, Avhich are therefore 

 seldom sought for. This Falcon destroys large quantities of game, 

 partridges, quails, &c., and it is said to be very partial to parro- 

 quets. This assertion is corroborated by the fact of my having 



