300 
Correspojiderice. 
half of the bird was male, the other half female. The female 
pnrt contained eggs. Never having heard of siicii a case before, 
I thought it might be of interest to you. Tliis bird had been in 
niy outdoor aviary for about six months, and till a week before it 
died appeared to be perfectly healtliy. Tliis bird being slightly 
duller in colour than its male I had taken it to be the female. 
-'■ H. V. Johnson. 
FALCONS AND HERONS. 
Sir, — With reference to Mr. W. fi). Tescheniaker's note on 
page 203, No. 7, Vol. VIII. of Bird No/es, it may be of interest to 
Mr. Teschemaker and other members to hear that in India, at all 
events, Peregrine Falcons are very frequently trained to Heron, 
and usually take kindly to tlie s])ort. I mention this fact, as 
from the article in question it would appear that it is quite an 
exceptional Peregrine that would take such a formidable quarr}', 
whereas my experience has been that most Peregrines, if care- 
fully trained, will take to Heron as easily as they will to the 
*'houbara" Bustard. 
A Kestrel attacking a Heron is, of course, unique; though 
■once in South Africa I saw one stooping at a hare, and it seemed 
most persistent in its attack, though I unfortunately was not 
able to see the end of the chase. The Falcon came within a few 
yards of me, and I could not have been mistaken as to its identity, 
though I admit that it struck me at the time that it was a very 
fine specimen in point of size. 
I am not acquainted with the Falconidae of S. Africa, so it 
is just j)ossible it may have not been a Kestrel, but if not the 
maikings were almost identical, even to the slaty blue tail, with 
the black trimmed band and the flight with the quick short flap 
of the wing, too, was that of Tinimnculus. 
Kiilu, India, "J I iijoq. C. H. Donald, F.Z.S. 
