Illustrations of Indian Ornithology ; 



Sykes, and probably also F. hadius figured most wretchedly in Bro\^Ti's Illustrations of 

 Zoology from Ceylon. This is the Shikra of the Natives, is well known and extremely 

 common, and is more frequently trained than any other bird of prey in India. It is a 

 bold, though not a very speedy bird, yet will seize partridges or quaUs, and strike down 

 a crow or even a larger bu-d. I see that Mr. Blyth proposes placing it in the genus 

 Astur, rather than in Accipiter, owing to the shortness of its toes, but though this charac- 

 ter certainly makes it an aberrant species of the latter genus, its superior length of tarsus 

 would equally make it an aberrant Astur. The other Hawk is closely allied to the 

 European Ace. fringillarius. It is the Basha of Indian Falconry, and has been named Ace. 

 nisosimilishj hient. Tickell of the Bengal Aiuny. The Khandesra is another small species 

 which I have hitherto in vain endeavoui-ed to procure, though the concurrent testimony 

 of many Shikaries from all parts of the country gives me every reason to conclude that it 

 is a distinct and well marked species. It was described to me as having a shade of plu- 

 mage more resembling the Basha than the Besra, with the markings small and ill defined, a 

 small head and eye, and a short tail — and is about the size of the Besra. It is said to be 

 the speediest of all the Sparrow Hawks. I trust to be enabled to procure one before 

 very long. 



In a Native work on Falconry, I saw at Aurungabad, the Besra is enumerated, 

 and fom- varieties are mentioned — 1st, The Kliandesra — 2nd, The Chateesrah — 3rd, The 

 SakhurtaJi, and 4th, The Besra proper — of -these I have akeady mentioned the Besra and 

 the Khandesra. I have also heard Falconers speali of the Chateesrah but it appears little 

 known at present, and the Sukhurtah appears unknown now. In another work sent to me 

 by Mr. Blyth for perusal, the Besra is thus divided. — 1st, The Khund Besra proba- 

 bly the same as the Khandesra. — 2nd, Khura Besra, perhaps the Besra proper. — 3rd, The 

 Jutesura, most likely the Chateesrah. — 4th, Bhagureena — this I never heard of — it may be a 

 native synonym of the Sukhurtah. — 5th, Khod. — 6th, Khur Besra. — 7th, Manik Besra. I 

 strongly suspect that these three names are only different appellations for the same hawk 

 which from the description given of the Manik Besra is undoubtedly the Astur Indicus of 

 Hodgson, called G6r Besra in the South of India, which is also again mentioned shortly 

 afterwards in the same work as the Chooryalee, a name which Hodgson in his description 

 of Astur Indicus gives as its name in the Eastern Tarai. 



I trust to be enabled in the coui'se of the present series of Illustrations to give a 

 di-awing of the second plumage of the Besra from a living specimen. 



