50 BIKDS OF INDIA. 



Afghanistan, and probably other parts of Asia. It frequents open 

 jungles, groves, gardens, and avenues. It either takes alow stealthy 

 flight along the edges of a wood, garden, or hedge row, and poun- 

 ces on any unwary bird or lizard, or soars high in circles and poun- 

 ces down when it sees any prey. Its general food appears to be li- 

 zards, 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 re- 

 claimed, and, though not remarkable for speed, can yet seize quails 

 and partridges 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, 

 (Centrojnts), young pea fowl, and small herons. 



The Shikra breeds on trees from April to June, making a large 

 nest of sticks; and has usually four eggs, white, much blotched with 

 reddish brown. 



It is exceedingly closely allied to A. spJienurus, Ruppell, of N. 

 Africa, to A. hrachydactyla, of Western Africa, and to A. polyzo- 

 noides, Smith, of Southern Africa ; but, according to Sclater, is dis- 

 tinguishable from all. These hawks, of course, appertain to 

 Microaisus. There is another species from Malacca and the Isles, 

 M. Soloensis (Horsf.), also very closely allied, but smaller, and 

 otherwise distinguishable. 



Gen. AcciPiTEK, Brisson. 



Syn. Nisus, Cuv. 



Char. — Bill very short, curving from the base, compressed, with 

 a very prominent festoon in the middle of the edge of the upper 

 mandible ; nostrils oval, oblique ; wings rounded, the 4th and 5th 

 quills nearly equal ; tail long, slightly rounded or even, slender • 

 tarsi long, slender; the scuta very smooth, and scarcely perceptible; 

 toes long, slender ; the inner toe considerably shorter than the outer 

 one, but longer than the hind toe ; claws well curved.. 



This genus differs from the last by its more slender form, lono-er 

 tail, longer tarsus and toes ; and the birds comprising it are more 

 active and speedy, and in the wild state more bold and destructive 

 Species of this genus are found all over the world. 



