134 GAMti BIRDS OF INDIA. 



greatly, that the falcon was unable to come up with it again under 

 600 yards or so. I have seen one struck dead by the Wokhab, 

 Aquila Vindhiana; I had slipped a Lugguf at it, which was in 

 hot pursuit, though at some little distance behind, when two of 

 these Eagles came down from a vast height, and joined in the 

 chase. One of them made a headlong swoop at it, which the 

 Florikin most skilfully avoided, only however to fall a victim to 

 the talons of the other, which stooped almost immediately after its 

 confederate, and dashed the poor bird lifeless to the ground. Ife 

 had not, however, time to pick it up, for I rode up, and the Eagles 

 soared off most unwillingly, and circled in the air long above 

 me. The Florikin had its back laid open the whole length."* 



A few birds appear to breed in all parts of Southern India, 

 from July to November, for I have put the hen bird off her nest 

 in August in the Deccan, and in October near Trichinopoly ; and 

 have heard of the hen having been found incubating still later, up 

 to January indeed ; but the majority breed, in Guzerat, Malwa 

 and Southern Rajpootana, from July to September. I have 

 found the cock-bird commencing to assume the black plumage at 

 the end of April, and have killed them with the black ear-tuft 

 just beginning to sprout, hardly any other black feathers having 

 appeared. In other instances I have noticed that these ear-tufts 

 did not make their appearance till the bird was quite mottled with 

 black. The full and perfect breeding plumage is generally com- 

 pleted during July and August. At this season the male bird 

 generally takes up a position on some rising ground, from which 

 it wanders but little, for many days even ; and during the morning 

 especially, but in cloudy weather at all times of the day, every now 

 and then rises a few feet perpendicularly into the air, uttering 

 at the same time a peculiar low croaking call, more like that 

 of a frog or cricket than that of a bird, and then drops down again. 

 This is probably intended to attract the females, who, before their 

 eggs are laid, wander greatly ; or perhaps to summon a rival cock, 

 for I have seen two in such desperate fight as to allow me to 

 approach within thirty yards before they ceased their battle. 



* Jcrdon's 111. Ind. Orn. 1 c 



