188 



FALCON. 



wing coverts black, middle ones cinereous grey, greater greyish 

 black ; throat, and under parts white ; legs yellow ; claws black, 

 the middle one large. 



Inhabits the Coast of Coromandel, and frequents rice fields, for 

 the sake of young fi-ogs, on which it is supposed to feed ; is a shy 

 bird, and as it makes a loud cry on the approach of any one, has 

 oljtained the name of Criard ; has the air and much of the plumage 

 of an Hen-Harrier, but the legs are shorter, and more robust. 



We have seen a specimen of this, with the head, neck, under 

 parts, and tail white, the two first inclining to ash-colour; all the 

 ridge of the wing and coverts fine black ; the rest of the wing fine 

 dove-colour; quills dusky; under wing coverts white; two middle 

 tail feathers cinereous, the others white, the shafts of all bro>vii ; 

 legs stout, feathered half way before, and yellow. 



One similar, met with some time since, fiom India, had the 

 name Dagah-Telin-Janas attached to its leg, but as it wanted the 

 black on the shoulders, it seemed more nearly to approach to the 

 Hen-Harrier. 



A.— Falco melanopterus, Tnd. Orn. Sup. p. vi. Daud. Orn. ii. 152. 



Elanus coesius, Savign. Ois. d'Egi/pte, 98. pi. ii. f. 2. Lin. Trans, xiii. p. 137. 



Elanus melanopterus, Leach Zool. Misc. iii. t. 122, 



Le Biac, Levail. Ois. i. pi. 3G, 37. 



Black-winged Falcon, Gen. St/n. Sup. ii> p. 28. 



This, if we mistake not, is a mere variety of the last, a fine 

 specimen of that bird having lately passed under our observation. — 

 This was 16 in. long ; round the eyes dusky red ; over each eye a sort 

 of projecting lid ; head and neck dusky white, all beneath white ; 

 all the wing coverts and ridge black, rest of the wing fine dove- 

 colour ; quills dusky ; tail feathers white, except the two middle 

 ones, which incline to grey, shafts of all brown ; legs feathered 



