( io8 ) 
The little Black and Orange-colour'd Indian Hawk. 
T H E Figure reprefents the Bird of its natural Bignefs, which is by much the 
fmalled of the perfect Hawk-kind I have met with. The fmall Hawks in 
.Europe are generally formed in a very delicate Manner, having long and (lender Legs, 
and fmall Bills in Proportion; on the contrary, this Bird’s Parts are perfectly Aquiline; 
its Bill being drong, its Thighs brawny, its Legs thick and (hort, and its Toes armed 
with very (harp and drong Talons j fo that it might with Propriety claim the Name 
of the little Eagle. 
It hath an Afli-colour’d Bill, a little inclining to Fle(h-colour, covered at the Bafe 
with a yellow Skin, in which the Nodrils are placed : It hath Hooks or Angles on 
the Sides of the upper Mandable, better exprefled by the Figure, than it can be by Def- 
cription. The Eye hath a yellow Skin for a little Space round it > this Skin is encom- 
paffed with black Feathers, which Blacknefs ends in Lines drawn down each Side of 
the Neck. Thefe black Lines are again encompafied with White, which White 
pafles over the Forehead at the Bafe of the Bill j the Top of the Head, upper Side of 
the Neck, Back, upper Sides of the Wings and Tail are Black, (hining with a 
blue and purplifh Glofs; the Sides of the Wings are alfo Black; the Covert Fea¬ 
thers within Side of the Wings are White; the inner Webs of the greater Wing 
Feathers, and thofe of the Tail are barred a-crofs with White and Black ; there ap¬ 
pears no White on the upper Sides of the Wings or Tail when the Feathers are 
clofed. The under Side of the Bird from the Bill to the Tail is of a bright Orange- 
colour, lighter on the Bread than in the other Parts - } the Legs and Feet are of a bright 
Gold-colour, the Claws are Black ; it is feather’d a little below the Knees. A Mem • 
brane conne&s the middle and outer Toe a little Way down, as in other Birds of this 
Kind. 
This Bird is a Native of Bengali in the Eajl-Indies , and was fent from thence in a 
large Cargo of natural Rarities to Dr. Mead, Phyfician in Ordinary to the King, 
about two Years before the Publication of this Part of my Hi dory ; and the Dodor, 
who is podeffed of a remarkable Zeal for promoting every Art, and every Branch of 
Knowledge, was pleafed to lend me this Bird, together with fome others, that I 
might make exad Drawings of them, in order to embellifh this Natural Hidory. 
Thefe Birds were brought over put up in Spirits, out of which I had the Liberty to 
take them, and after wafhing them in fair Water, and then drying them, they appear¬ 
ed very fair in their Feathers. This Hawk had, I believe, been train’d for dying at 
Game, for it had on each of its Legs a fmall piece of “Leather, fuch as we faden Bells 
with to Hawk’s Legs. I believe this Bird may be pronounced abfolutely a Non-defcript, 
for I can find no Mention of it in any Hidory or Voyage. 
Tim 
