3574 Notices of New Books : 



" 3. The Bashah, a kind of sparrow-hawk, and her mate the Bashin, 

 a small, short-winged, low-flying bird, with yellow eyes and dark 

 plumage in her first year, which afterwards changes to a light ash- 

 colour, marked with large gray bars, are very much valued here on 

 account of the rapid way in which they fill the pot, especially with 

 partridges. As they remain in Scinde during the cold weather, and 

 retire in summer to the hills around, those trained are 'passage hawks,' 

 or 'birds of the year;'* their low price, 8*. or 10s., makes it scarcely: 

 worth while to mew them, f so they are let loose when the moulting 

 season commences. 



" 4. The Shikrah, and her tiercel the Chipak, are our common 

 English sparrow-hawks. They are flown at partridges, and by their 

 swiftness and agility afford tolerable sport. At the same time they 

 are opprobriously called ' dog-birds ' by the falconer, on account of 

 their ignoble qualities, their want of staunchness, and their habit of 

 carrying the game. They may be bought ready trained, in most parts 

 of Scinde, for a shilling or two. 



" 5. The Laghar, or hobby, and her mate the Jaghar. This is the 

 only long-winged hawk generally used in the country ; she is large 

 and black-eyed, with yellow legs, black claws, and a tail of a cinere- 

 ous white colour. She is a native of Scinde, moults during the hot 

 months from April to October, and builds in ruined walls and old mi- 

 mosa trees. The Laghar is flown at quail, partridge, curlew, bastard 

 bustard, and hares ; the best sport is undoubtedly afforded by crows, 

 only she is addicted to carrying the quarry, and is very likely to be 

 killed by her angry enemies." — P. 13. 



And now for a story of the " Ukab," — a story which, be it observed, 

 our author only gives on hearsay. We should, above all things, like 

 to have heard that Mr. Burton had been an eye-witness of the scene, 

 for we candidly confess to the entertaining of grave doubts upon the 

 subject : we think that Mr. Burton has either been too credulous in 



far, and her swoop as perpendicular as possible. To ' wait on ' the falconer is to fol- 

 low him (in the air) wherever he pleases. 



* " The passage hawks, or birds of the year, are those caught (full grown) in nets 

 and traps at the period of migration : opposed to the ' ey esses,' or those taken from the 

 nest. 



f " To ' mew ' a falcon is to keep her in a state of captivity whilst she moults. 

 Thus she becomes an ' intcrmewcd ' bird, opposed to a c haggard,' a wild hawk after 

 the first year." 



