1850.] Conspectus of the Ornithology of India. 515 



native testimony, as an exceedingly rare visitor in the N. W.), and 

 finally Haliaetus albicilla, Milvus regalis, Archibuteo lagopus, and 

 Tinnunculus cesalon. The two last mentioned are known only as winter 

 visitants in S. Britain, but all are more or less seen in N. Africa, and 

 it is remarkable that Archibuteo lagopus is likewise met with at the 

 Cape of Good Hope. We believe, too, that all of these are found 

 throughout northern Asia. Certain European species, however, as Pernis 

 apivora, are severally replaced in India by closely affined races (perhaps 

 not in all instances distinguishable) ; and the same is perhaps the case 

 with Milvus niger, and would have been averred of Buteo vulgaris, 

 only that the latter would itself appear to inhabit a loftier elevation 

 than the common Indian Buzzard on the Himalayas and likewise the 

 Nilgiris. With the Nocturne, on the contrary, the species appear 

 to be throughout distinct in the two regions, save only Asio otus and 

 A. brachyotus, and Scops Aldrovandi and Syrnium aluco ; though both 

 of the latter are, in general at least, so far distinct in their plumage, 

 that the Indian race of each may be regarded as a marked variety, 

 or as one of the many instances in which it is not likely that zoolo- 

 gists will ever be agreed about considering as a distinct species or not. 

 Again, of these four, Asio otus and the Syrnium are . confined to the 

 Himalaya, the Scops is widely diffused, and A. brachyotus is an erratic 

 winter visitor in the plains, by no means rare in Lower Bengal. Of 

 the non-European Indian species of DiurnvE, a few belong to the high 

 table-lands of central Asia, and are little known on the Indian side of 

 the Himalayan snows : such are Archibuteo hemiptilopus and Buteo 

 aquilinus and B. plumipes. Falco sacer appears to be a rare mid- 

 Asian bird, scarcely perhaps more frequent in the Himalaya than in 

 E. Europe. Other species inhabiting Europe and northern Asia which 

 in India would appear to be peculiar to the Himalaya, are Aquila chry- 

 saetos, Astur palumbarius, and Circus cyaneus ; also Vultur monachus 

 and Oypsfulvus : and among the Nocturne (as before remarked) 

 Asio brachyotus and Syrnium aluco, var.* It is remarkable that 

 there is not a single raptorial species common to India and Australia ; 

 unless, indeed, the Indian Kite may yet prove to be identical with 

 Milvus affinis, Gould, Falco peregrinator with F. ?nelanogenys, Kaup, 



* Perhaps also Bubo maximus and Athene psilodactyla. Gypaetos barbatus, 

 var., should perhaps be in like manner substituted for G, himachalanus. 



