328 Conspectus of the Ornithology of India. [No. 4. 



Hab. Europe, Asia, and Africa. Common on the plains of 

 India, preferring an open country and preying chiefly on snakes. 



Genus ILematornis, Vigors. 



34. H. cheela (Gould's 'Century/ pi. 1.) 



Syn. Falco cheela, Latham. 

 H. undulatus, Vigors. 

 Circaetus nipalensis, Hodgson. 

 H. et Buteo bacha, apud Franklin et Sykes. 

 F. albidus, Cuv., et Buteo melanotis, Jerdon (the young). 

 F. bacha, Daudin (African race). 

 F. bido, Horsfield (Malayan race). 



Tildi-bdj (' spotted Hawk'), B. ; Sabchur (' full- 

 crested'), ditto, young ; Goomcan Mooryala, Mahr. 

 (Jerdon) ; Doung-tswon, Arakan (Phayre) ; Bido, 

 Jav. (Horsfield). 

 Hab. India generally : very common in Lower Bengal ; prefer- 

 ring a jungly country, interspersed with tanks and shallow lakes, where 

 it preys much on frogs, which it clutches in the mud. Hence its feet 

 are generally clotted with mud. 



Remark. Specimens of this hird from the Malay countries, and 

 also two that we have seen from Ceylon, are rather smaller than those 

 of India and Burma ; but we can perceive no other difference. "We 

 believe Levaillant is the only author who indicates it from Africa. 

 The Philippine race (H. spilopterus, Vigors), is described to be more 

 speckled. 



Subfam. CIRCIN^l. 



Genus Circus, Lacepede. 



35. C. iERUGiNosus (Gould's B. E. pi. 32), 



Syn. Falco ceruginosus, L. 

 F. rufus, Gmelin. 

 F. arundinaceus, Bechstein. 

 Accipiter circus, Pallas. 

 Circus palustris, Brisson. 

 C. variegatus, Sykes. 

 £. rufus, var. indicus,—et C. Sykesi, Lesson. 



