No. 5.— 1849.] 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



207 



Genus Haliastur, Selby. 

 17.— H. Indus. 



Syn. — Falco Indus, Boddaert ; F. Pondicerianus, Gme.; 

 Milvus Rotundicaudatus, Hodg. (young) ; Chem Paruntu 

 Mai. (literally " Red hawk ") ; Brimalgu Moitu, Port, 

 (literally " Red hawk "). 



The common red-fish hawk of Europeans is found abun- 

 dantly all round the sea coast, and particularly at the mouths 

 of rivers, where it preys upon all kinds of carrion brought 

 down by the stream, fighting with the crows for the prize. 

 They will sit for hours on the fish-kraals in the rivers and 

 catch the small fish which rise to the surface in their endea- 

 vours to escape. I have known them seize a fowl, but this 

 is of rare occurrence ; one was cut down with a table knife 

 by a gentleman while in the act of kil ling a large hen. They 

 build in trees in the neighbourhood of water, making many 

 false nests before they finally fix on a place which pleases 

 them. While thefemale is incubating the male occupies one 

 of these nests. The nest, like that of Blagrus Leucogaster, is 

 composed of sticks and twigs without any lining ; eggs about 

 2 in. in length by 1^ in. in diameter. Colour, dull dirty 

 white, dotted at the thick end with bloody coloured unequal 

 and uncertain small blotches and spots ; in some instances 

 these spots are nearly black, resembling dry blood. The 

 young, of which there are generally two, are excluded about the 

 first week in February, incubation lasting about three weeks. 

 Before the appearance of their feathers they are covered with 

 a grayish down, and are apparently fed with soft reptiles. 



Genus Milvus, Cuvier. 

 18.— M. Ater. 



Syn. — F. Ater, Emen. ; M, Govinda, Sykes ; Karum 

 Paruntu, Mai. (literally" Black hawk"). 



Common all along the sea coast, and easily distinguished 

 by its deeply forked tail. It feeds in company with the 

 last on the same substances. 



