206 FALCON. 



One, supposed to be a female, is 13} in. long, and weighs six 

 ounces and ten drams ; bill black ; cere greenish yellow ; irides 

 yellow ; plumage above deep ferruginous brown, fringed with 

 ferruginous ; cheeks, under the eyes ash-colour ; all the under parts 

 white; breast, belly, and thighs sparingly marked with large, 

 irregular blotches of dull ferruginous, but on the lower belly these 

 are mostly transverse ; vent white ; quills and tail cinereous brown, 

 the latter a trifle rounded, crossed with four deep brown bars, one 

 near the tip, but the end is white; legs yellow green. 



This is called Bessra, and said to be the female of the Dhotee, 

 and used in falconry, catching Crows, Minahs, &c. in the month 

 Assin, and continued for six months. 



Among the drawings of Sir J. Anstruther, I observe one, which 

 appears to be a variety ; on the upper parts the whole is fine pale 

 blue-grey, beneath dusky white; thighs and vent quite white; 

 breast crossed Avith numerous pale fermginous bars; quills dusky 

 black ; tail long, pale blue-grey, crossed with five or six dusky bars ; 

 bill black ; cere and legs yellow ; the wings reach one-third on the 

 tail. 



This inhabits India ; found at Bengal ; in the drawing it is 

 called the female Sparrow-Hawk ; the native name Shekea. 



In another diawing I find a dusky patch on the sides of the 

 head in which the eye is placed. From the above account we may 

 suppose this bird to be subject to great variety of plumage. 



