90 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



the ground in quest of foot). Mr. Elliot says, it is very abundant 

 in Guzerat, preying on the numerous field rats of that province 

 (Mus indicus). Captain Irby took four rats swallowed whole out 

 of the stomach of one he killed in Oude. Mr. Hodgson says, 

 ' Feeds on snakes, rats, and mice ; also on quail, snipe, and partrid- 

 ges, which, however, it only seizes on the ground.' He also says 

 that it kills duck and teal, but he attributes to it a much speedier 

 flight than my experience has shown. 



Mr. Theobald found the nest in March, on trees, large, made 

 with sticks, lined with cotton, rags, &c., and daubed with mud. The 

 eggs were three, greenish white, blotched with claret brown ; but 

 they vary greatly. 



46. Buteo aquilinus, Hodgson. 



J. A. S., XIV., 176 — B. leucocephala, Hodgson, P. Z. S., 

 1845, p. 37. 



The UrLAND Buzzlrd. 



Descr. — General color above hair brown, the feathers edged with 

 dull rufesccnt brown; ear coverts and sides of head white, the feathers 

 more or less dark shafted ; nape whitish, the throat white, the fea- 

 thers streaked with brown; foreneck brown; breast white, with dark 

 shafts and tips to the feathers ; abdominal region, flanks, and tibial 

 plumes, dark brown, slightly edged rufous towards the breast, and 

 the axillarles more vividly rufescent ; forepart of the under surface 

 of the wing dusky brown, the primaries freckled white, blackish 

 beyond the emargination ; tail mottled with numerous dark bars, 

 on an albescent ground. 



Bill and cere dark ; feet wax-yellow. Tarsus plumed in front for 

 If inches. Length of female 26 inches; wings 18^; tail 11^; 

 bill, straight to forehead, 1 \ ; tarsus 3|-. 



This fine Buzzard, which apparently closely resembles the 

 European Buzzard, has only been found in the snowy region of 

 the Himalayas, and perhaps may be peculiar to Tibet. It appears, 

 says Mr. Blyth, to resemble the description of Falco Asiaticus of 

 Latham. Gray and Bonaparte put it as an Ai^chibuteo, and make 



