466 



absent from any field where Quail were abundant; and in 1871 I found it very plentiful in the 

 Fayoom. It is a bird of lazy habits, rarely flying far, even after being shot at, but soon alighting 

 again upon some mound or heap of maize-stalks, from which it keeps watch over the fields. I 

 have found it breeding in Egypt in April." Von Heuglin, Dr. Leith Adams, and Mr. Taylor, how- 

 ever, do not speak of it as found in North-east Africa during the breeding-season, but only met 

 with it there during the winter ; therefore it seems probable that only a few remain to breed, the 

 major portion passing further north, and returning again for the winter. Von Heuglin states 

 that he " met with it along the Nile as far south as the Azraq and the Abyssinian lowlands. It 

 arrives in pairs and in families in August and September (and some remain to winter in Southern 

 Egypt and Dongolah ; but the larger proportion remain in East Sennaar, Takah, and at Mareb), 

 leaving again in March." It does not appear to visit the more elevated portions of Abyssinia, as 

 neither Mr. Blanford nor Mr. Jesse met with it when collecting in that country. It has been 

 stated to inhabit North-western and even South Africa ; but, so far as I can ascertain, only Buteo 

 desertorum and not the present species occurs there. 



To the eastward it occurs as far, at least, as India. It is stated by Messrs. Blanford and 

 St. John to be perhaps the commonest Raptor in Persia ; and the former gentleman adds that he 

 has seen the skins of no other Buzzard from that country. Speaking of its range in India, 

 Dr. Jerdon writes (B. of India, i. p. 89), it " is found throughout all the northern and central 

 parts of India, frequenting the plains and low cultivated lands, especially irrigated fields, edges 

 of tanks, &c. I have met with it in the Deccan and in Central India, but most abundant in the 

 Gangetic valley, above Dinapore. It is also found in Nepal, and all the sub-Himalayan regions. 

 It generally sits on a low tree, and watches for rats, frogs, lizards, and large insects, which it 

 pounces on from its perch, or rarely takes a hunt over the ground in quest of food. Mr. Elliot 

 says it is very abundant in Guzerat, preying on the numerous field-rats of that province (Mus 

 indicus)." To this information I may add the following from the pen of Mr. A. O. Hume, who 

 writes (Rough Notes, p. 274) as follows: — "It breeds in great numbers in March and April in 

 the N.W. Punjab, the lower hills of the N.W. Himalayas, and Kashmere, east of the Jheelum ; 

 so far as I have yet been able to gather, very few pairs remain to breed in the plains. During 

 the cold season they swarm all over the N.W. Provinces, the Punjab, and Rajpootana, making 

 their way far down into Central India, throughout Oudh, and into Behar ; but although, as 

 Jerdon says, they are found much in low cultivated lands, especially irrigated fields, edges of 

 jheels, &c. (where they prey mostly on frogs), their winter quarters, par excellence, is in the half- 

 desert tracts of Northern and Western India, amongst the interminable colonies of the desert- 

 rat (Gerbillus erythrurus), which is unquestionably their favourite food. In these localities 

 they occur during the winter in surprising numbers ; a dozen may be seen sitting within a 

 circle of half a mile, and fifty counted in a morning's ride. Directly, however, the hot weather 

 begins to set in their numbers decrease ; and by the first of April all but solitary stragglers have 

 retreated northwards to the Himalayas, or westwards across the Sutledge." It was met with by 

 Severtzoff in Turkestan, and is stated by him to breed throughout the country. He divides it 

 into three subspecies, which he calls B. leucurus, B. rufinus, and B. nigricans, all of which I 

 infer should be included under the name of Buteo ferox, as he speaks of intermediate forms. I 

 possess one specimen obtained by him, and labelled B. rufinus, which is identical with examples 



