FALCONINiE. 37 



Length of a female 14 to 15 inches; wing 9; tail 5|-. A male is 

 11 to 12 inches; wing 7 j^^; tail4|, A male weighed 6 oz., a 

 female 9^ oz. 



The wings do not reach further than 1^ inches, or If of the end 

 of the tail in the female ; the tail is distinctly rounded. 



The specific name Chicquera has been erroneously applied to this 

 Falcon, as it is the Hindustani name for the common sparrow-hawk 

 of India. 



The Turumti is universally spread throughout India, from north to 

 south, but is rare in the forest districts, as it afiects chiefly open 

 country in the vicinity of cultivation. It frequents gardens, groves 

 of trees, and even large single trees in the open country, whence it 

 sallies forth, sometimes circling aloft, but more generally, especially 

 in the heat of the day, gliding with inconceivable rapidity along 

 some hedgerow, bund of a tank, or across some fields, and poun- 

 cing suddenly on some lark, sparrow, or wagtail. It very often 

 hunts in pairs, and I have now and then seen it hover like a Kestril 

 for a few seconds. It preys chiefly on small birds, especially the 

 social larks {Corypliidea calandrella), sparrows, and the small 

 ringed-plovers ( Charadrius) ; also not unfrequently on bats, which 

 I have seen it seize on the wing just at dusk. It breeds on high 

 trees, and has usually 4 eggs of a yellowish brown color, mottled 

 with brown spots. The young fly early, by the end of March or 

 beginning of April. It has a shrill angry scream, and is very 

 courageous, driving away crows, kites, and even the Wokhab {Aquila 

 fusca,) from the vicinity of its nest or perch. 



It is occasionally reclaimed, and flovm at quail, partridges, mynas, 

 but especially at the Indian Jay or KoUer {Coracias indica). In 

 pursuit of this quarry the Falcon follows most closely and peisever- 

 ingly, but is often baulked by the extraordinary evolutions of the 

 Eoller, who now darts oiF obliquely, then tumbles down perpen- 

 dicularly, screaming all the time, and endeavouring to gain the 

 shelter of the nearest tree or grove. But even here he is not 

 safe ; the Falcon follows him from branch to branch, drives him out 

 again, and sooner or later the exhausted quarry falls a victim to 

 the ruthless bird of prey. I have known Falconers train the Tur- 

 umti to hunt in couples. 



