Falconry in the East. 3573 



The species of hawks used in falconry is a subject in which the 

 zoologist has ever felt an interest, and we offer no apology for intro- 

 ducing at length Mr. Burton's enumeration ; premising, however, that 

 it would have been a great boon to us, who admire precision in all 

 things, if he had given the scientific as well as the local names, and thus 

 enabled us to determine the species. It is more than probable that 

 some of the birds are entirely unknown in Europe, but then it is un- 

 wise to give them names " familiar as household words " to English 

 ears. If Mr. Burton would kindly take the trouble to look over the 

 Indian birds in the British Museum, and, in the next edition of his 

 book, add the technical name which he will there find attached to 

 them, it will give a greatly increased value to his volume in the eyes 

 of the naturalist. From the following names which he mentions, we 

 can draw no satisfactory conclusions : — 



1. " Sherbaz of Bokhara," p. 13. 



2. " Bhairi," p. 13; this is considered a synonyme of the peregrine. 



3. " Bashah," p. 13. 



4. " Ukab," p. 37. 



5. " King Curlew," p. 57. 



However, here is Mr. Burton's list of hawks. 



" The following are the principal varieties of birds generally known 

 to the Scindian falconer : — 



" 1. The Shahbaz, or hawk-king, a large gray goshawk with yellow 

 eyes, caught in the hills of Affghanistan and its surrounding regions, 

 brought down to the plains, and sold, when well reclaimed, trained, 

 and in good condition, for £b or £6. The tiercelet or male is, as 

 usual, much smaller than the female, and is called Jurrah, in Persian 

 c the active.' Both are uncommonly strong and ferocious. They are 

 accounted the noblest birds : the Sher-baz (' lion-hawk') or peregrine 

 of Bokhara and the snowy regions, being all but unknown here. 



" 2. The Bahri (Bhairi), or Falco calidus, so celebrated amongst 

 Indian falconers for her boldness and power, and her tiercel, here vul- 

 garly called the Shahin, are found in some parts of the province. They 

 fly at partridges, hares, bustards, curlews, herons, and the Saras ; * 

 being long-winged hawks or birds * of the lure,' f they are taught to 

 fly high, to ' wait on ' % the falconer and to * make the point.' 



* " The Indian crane, a splendid bird, sometimes standing six feet high. 



f " Hawks are of two kinds : — 1. Birds of the lure, or the long-winged. 2. Birds 

 of the fist (because they fly from thence instead of swooping from the air), or the round- 

 winged. 



X " The perfection of a falcon in Europe is that her pitch be as high, her range as 



