The ShaJieen Falcon. 



A young female I had alive at the same thne as the one from which the above 

 description was taken, differed from the male in having the chin, throat and cheeks white, 

 in the rufous edgiags to the feathers being very indistiact, and the plumage generally being 

 of a darker hue. 



Length of a female 17| to 18 inches — weight lib., lOoz. 



After the first moult, the markings of the lower surface disappear, except a few on 

 the lower part of the abdomen and leg feathers, the plumage above becomes more of a 

 blueish tinge, and the edgings and barrings disappear — with further moultings the shade 

 of the plumage above becomes still lighter, and of a slaty blue, the markings beneath 

 vanish entirely, and the rufous tiut of the breast becomes paler. 



The accompanying figure was taken from a li\'ing bii-d I had for some time in 

 my possession at Madras. 



