n 



Catalogue of the Birds 



[July 



17- M. pondicerianus. — Haliceetns pondicerianus. — Roo-mubarik 

 fAngl. happy face J, H. — vulgo, Bukmunee cheel. — Braliminy kite of 

 Europeans. 



There is great dispute among naturalists, as to the true situa- 

 tion of this very common bird : most writers refer it to the genus 

 Haliceetus or sea eagle. Swainson refers it to the Acc'ipitrince or 

 hawk family, hut at the same time allows its near alliance to 

 Pandion. Hodgson, the only writer who has observed it in its 

 wild state (except Colonel Sykes who refers it to- Haliceetus) 

 calls it a paltry milvine bird, and says it should be placed as a 

 Buleo or Milvus. With this opinion, I nearly agree, and according- 

 ly place it for the present as a Milvus, of which, or of Buteo, it will 

 probably be hereafter found to constitute a sub-genus. The great- 

 est difference is, perhaps, the shape of the bill, and in the young 

 bird, this is much less perceptible. Its manners, mode of life, &c, are 

 certainly similar to those of the kite, being much on the wing, sailing 

 over tanks, paddy fields, and rivers, at a moderate height, and with a 

 flight like that of the kite, but perhaps with more frequent motion of 

 its wings. Hodgson says it quests like Circus. This I have only 

 seen in wooded country (in Travancore) and then its flight was higher 

 and not nearly so regular. I may also remark that its squeal is very 

 similar to that of the kite. Hodgson says, it lives chiefly on insects. 

 Colonel Sjkes says, it never feeds on carrion but always on fish (living). 

 From my own observations, made chiefly in the Carnatic, where it is very 

 abundant, I should say it prefers aquatic food. It may frequently be 

 observed to carry off a fish from the surface of water, but I never saw 

 it dip under, as Colonel Sykes relates. It also feeds much on crabs 

 from tanks and paddy fields, also on frogs and various aquatic insects ; 

 and occasionally carries off a dead or wounded snipe, or other bird, and 

 even carrion, and, it is also credibly said, young birds, chickens and 

 pigeons, though I have not myself witnessed it. I have, though, very 

 rarely, seen it whip an insect off a tree or standing grain : this, and its 

 food generally, if not heavy, it often devours in the air, like the common 

 kite, or seated on the edge of a tank, or river, or bank of a paddy field. 

 It partakes very greedily of the small fish so generally dried by the 

 poor on our coast, and I have repeatedly seen it catch one thrown up 

 in the air for that purpose by a native. From this we must conclude 

 that it, varies its food, according to opportunity, but undoubted- 

 ly it prefers the neighbourhood of water, and aquatic food, as crabs, 

 frogs and fish, when procurable. It is, as is well known, sacred to 

 Vishnoo. 



