1839] 



of the Peninsula of India. 



below. It loses the brown of the breast at its first moulting, and that 

 of the belly with the two following moults. Length of an adult female, 

 first year, 19 inches. I have derived most of the above information, re- 

 . garding the change of colour of the luggur, from Mr. Elliot's notes, as, 

 though it is far from being uncommon, and I have frequently seen it, 

 I have hitherto only procured young birds. One was brought to me 

 alive at Trichinopoly ; it was a bird of the year, and entirely brown. 

 Another I shot lately at Jaulnah, has the head and hind neck of a light 

 fawn colour, broadly streaked with brown ; chin and throat white ; fea- 

 thers centred with brown ; under tail coverts fawn, barred with brownish 

 grey, rest of the plumage dark brown, the feathers margined with a 

 lighter tint. 



The Lugger is flown frequently at the crow, in pursuit of which much 

 sport is said to be afforded. It is a bird of heavier and slower flight than 

 any of the other falcons of India. 



29. — F. Shaheen. — New species. — Shaheen, H. ; the male being the 



koela* 



This also apparently undescribed falcon, very much resembles the 

 colouring of the F. juggur of Gray, but differs in wanting the rufous 

 head of rhe latter. It is not so common as the last, I think, and prefers 

 a wooded country, or at all events does not dislike it, for f have shot it 

 in Travancore, in a thickly wooded district, and seen specim ns from other 

 parts of the West Coast. From Mr. Elliot's notes I extract the follow- 

 ing : " The shaheen is a native of India, and breeds pretty generally 

 among rocky mountains. The moulting begins about March, when 

 they also pair, and the young begin to fly about June, when they are 

 caught bv the falconer. Their natural flight is a high hovering in 

 the air, from whu h they pounce on their prey. This the falconer im- 

 proves into a standing gait, and makes them stoop on partridges, 

 florikin, &c. I have also heard of their being made to fly at duck and 

 teal." 



Description. — Above, of a slate blue colour, lightest on the rump ; head, 

 hind neck and cheek streak nearly black ; beneath, brownish orange, or 

 a sort of chesnut colour, which gradually disappears on the throat, 

 breast and upper part of belly, being replaced by white. In the young 

 bird the parts beneath are spotted with dark brown drops, which gra- 

 dually disappear from the crop downwards. Cere and legs yellow ; irides 



* It is figured correctly in Temminck, PI. Ilium, as F. Mdovrandii.—W. E. 



