234 



Catalogue of Birds 



[Oct, 



II. — Catalogue of the Birds of the Peninsula of India, arranged ac- 

 cording io the modern system of Classification • with brief Notes on 

 their Habits and Geographical Distribution, and description of new, 

 doubtful and imperfectly described Species: — By T. C. Jerdon, Assis~ 

 iant Surgeon, 2d Madras Light Cavalry. 



{Continued from No. 24 page 91.) 



Supplement to Raptores. — By Walter Elliot, Esq. 



Since the publication of the first portion of Mr. Jerdon's Catalogue, I 

 have been enabled to add another beautiful accipitrine bird to his list. 

 It belongs to Genus Nis^tos, Hodgson ; and should fellow immediately 

 after N. Niveus ?■ No. 12 in the Catalogue. 



121. N. Crislatella, Temm. PI. Col. p. 2S2 — Shah Baz, H. 



Adult male of 1st year — Total length 24 inches ; length of tail, 11 T V; 

 of bill, straight to gape, 1 ; tarsus from the angle of the outer bend 

 to the sole 4 T 4 ff ths ; central digit 2 ; do. claw 1-J v th ; hind digit l T ^ths • 

 do. claw l T 4 o-; of wing closed 16 inches ; two central crest feathers, 4 ; two 

 next, 2^: colour brown; beneath, brown intermixed with white; each 

 feather being brown with a white edge, which increases with successive 

 moultings until the brown is reduced to a mere line. Crest dark brown, 

 approaching to black. Quills barred transversely with darker brown. 

 Tail with 4 well defiued bands, the last forming the tip, and an imper- 

 fect one near the base making a fifth. Feathers of the tarsi with a slight 

 fawn tinge spotted with brown. 



Sits on the tops of the highest trees, on the watch for hares, pea-fowl, 

 jungle-fowl, on which it swoops from its elevated perch. Solitary. 

 Shot in the Rampoor jungle, inland from Nellore, at the foot of the eas- 

 tern ghats. 



I have now before me a living specimen of the species distinguished 

 as Nisatos Niveus, and two skins of the same bird. The^corresponding 

 dimensions of an adult male of several moultings are — total length, 26 

 inches ; length of tail 11 ; of bill, straight to gape, 2 ; tarsus, from the 

 angle of the outer bend to the sole, 4 ; central digit 2 T yhs ; do. 

 claw I T V ths ; hind digit l T yhs; do. claw 1 T yhs ; wing closed 18 

 weight 3-lb. 13f drs. 



The Mhorungee is not crested. It is stronger and altogether more 

 powerful than the Shah Baz. Tarsus shorter; talons more powerful. 



