The PEREGRINE FALCON (F. peregrinus) is a cold weather visitant to the plains of India. It comes with the flights of wildfowl in September, begins to grow scarce in February, and disappears entirely early in April.I do not think it breeds anywhere within the limits of India or Cashmere, or in any of the neighbouring hill countries. It is highly prixed by the Eastern falconers; flown chiefly at cranes (Grus cinerea and Antropoides virgo), herons and bitterns of all sorts, ibises (G. papillosus and T. melanocephalus), bustards (H. Macqueenii, S. Bengalensis, and S. auritus), &c. Sometimes, but rarely, it is taught to "wait on," and it then kills wildfowl and partridges. I have killed some few kites and short eared owls with it. The worst of this spirited and powerful falcon is that it is a slow-moulting bird. In India it suffers severely from heat, and rarely comes out of moult in proper condition for a second season's work. I find that wild peregrines, as well as tame ones, are very slow in their moult as compared with other falcons of this group, and, in fact, they are slower in moulting than any other hawks used in falconry. I have caught wild peregrines in Decembel, and even later, in which the first primaries were only half grown. A mistaken idea, I believe, prevails, that hawks in India are more tractable than their congeners in Europe. Rather the reverse is the case. It is true that falcons in the wild state may be said to be tamer, that they will allow of nearer approach in India than in England; but on being captured they are just as wild as those caught anywhere else, and are somewhat more troublesome at first, on account of the heat, which, as is well known to falconers, gives hawks a tendency to "bate" and knock themselves about, no doubt from an instinctive impulse to rise to a cooler atmosphere. They must be judiciously treated, or they will contract a confirmed habit of so doing,and I have seen promising falcons turn out quite useless from this fault alone.
The BLACK SHAHEEN, or SULTAN FALCON (F. peregrinator), is found all over India. Some naturalists are disposed to consider that peregrinator (verus) is only found in Southern and Central India and claim for a bird said to be found only in Northern and Norths-Western India the distinctive name of atriceps. In my humble judgment, the so-called atriceps is merely a local and incidental variety of peregrinator. It seems to me that the difference is far too slight, if indeed it exists at all, to warrant any such separation; and the points of difference urged by those who have communicated with me on the subject are confined to coloration. But it is easy enough to find two examples of the peregrine (undoubted peregrinus) in which equal, if not stronger, points of difference may be observed; and I think that the points of difference urged for atriceps are to be accounted for by local causes. The black shaheen is a very handsome, will-built falcon. Smaller than the peregrine, it has larger feet and beak in proportion, and the difference of size proportionally between the sexes is considerably greater The head is very dark, approaching to black in some individuals; the back a deep blue grey, which becomes of a brownish tinge, as does the same colour in all adult hawks towards the commencement of moult - more so if the birds have been exposed to much sun in arid localities, as in upper India (here I refer to the local causes above mentioned);tail shorter than in the peregrine; wings reach to end of tail; breast deep rufous, with bluish transverse bars. In the young the markings correspond with those of the peregrine, but the breast is very rufous, and a red glow pervades the whole plumage. It breeds on rocks in the Himalaya, and in the mountain chains of Central and Southern India. It does not equal the peregrine for "ringing flights" ("ringing flights" are those in which the quarry tries to escape by rising to a great height in the air.); is usually trained to "wait on" (A falcon is said to "wait on" when she flies at a height in the air above her master till game is sprung, or till she is called down.), and kills florikin, wildfowl, partridges, and a great variety of birds. It is very swift, and very docile. Unlike the peregrine, it moults very rapidly and perfectly; it lasts for many years in good flying order, improving with age for several years. It is no doubt very closely allied to the Barbary falcon of Africa, and the notices of that falconi in the old works on falconry apply to the shaheens as to their powerful arming and rapid moulting. But our ancestors do not speak higly of the Barbary falcon for field work. This, however, is no doubt to be accounted for(if, as we may presume, the Barbary falcon possesses the qualities of the shaheens) by the extreme difficulty in those days of transporting hawks by sea and land to a long distance. Even at the present day, with our rapid means of communication, it is difficult enough to transport hawks in such a condition as not to impari their efficiency. In order to get Barbary falcons to England in flying order, it would be necessary that they should be brought to England, under the care of a falconer, by the quickest possible means, immediately after capture, or after a proper course of training in Africa.
The RED-NAPED SHAHEEN (F. babylonicus). - This falcon is somewhat smaller than the preceding, but much like it in proportions. In colour it differs; the head is of a chestnut colour with grey markings, back a light grey, breast a warm salmon colour with grey or dusky transvers bars. The young, like the young peregrine, with a rufous tinge. It breeds, I believe, only in the N.W. Himalaya, affhanistan, and in the adjoining hill states. It is highly prized in the Punjab, where it is trained to "wait on" and kill wildfowl and game birds. Like the black shaheen, it moults beautifully, and lasts a number of years. I have seen one in high condition, and perfiect in the field at fifteen years of age, as I have before stated in the columns of "the Field". I brought an old one to England last December; she is now in high health, and mouling very fast. I have had these two species of shaheen from the nest, but have always found the wildcaught hawks so superior that I should not try it again. The best plan is to adopt the Eastern practice - catch "red hawks", i.e., hawks in the young plumage, somewhat late in the season; train them carefully, teaching them to know the lure thoroughly and making them very tame, keeping them all the while in very high condition; not attempting to get much work out of them the first season, but being satisfied with just entering them at their quarry, and then setting them down to moult. Such hawks will moult clean out, every new feather being full grown, by 20th August, and will pay in the end for the trouble.
Of the "Desert Falcons", there are two species in India at present recognised. This group is to be distinguished from true falcons by their smaller feet and beaks, looser, weaker, and more ragged plumage, longer wings and tails, and habit of feeding at times on insects, lizards, and other reptiles, and rats, though they catch birds whenever they can, and are ever on the look-out for weakly or wounded birds, and to rob other hawks of their quarry. In the change from immature to adult plumate they do not btain transvere markings on the breast. Unlike the true falcons, they rarely bathe, and the saker especially has a great dislike to water. They are dirty birds, and have a strong smell, and are quite unfit for pets. The better you treat them, the worse they fly; and, as a rule, they must be kept to their work by continual physicking and washed meat, the latter being better for them if rather stinking. They are shy and crafty by nature, and it is utterly impossible to break them of the habit of carrying. You will never go up to a saker or lugger, however tame, when she is at liberty with a bird in her feet which she has power to carry to a istance I had a male lugger for several years, as good a partridge hawk as could be seen (of this group). He was so thoroughly tame as to allow me to "imp" a broken feather in his wing or tail while he sat on a falconer's hand unhooded, and without food to pull at. But if he chanced to catch a quail while we were partridge hawking , we never got him till he had eaten the quail or had been robbed of it. These "desert falcons" cannot catch pigeons or any swift-flying birds by flying them down; but they occasionally catch some birds by a lucky stoop from a height. It is curious to observe how pigeons, sand grouse, and ducks will ignore the presence of saker or lugger - which on the wing, to an inexperienced eye don't look much unlike the true falcons - while a glimpse of peregrine or shaheen on the wing will send them hurrying off in every direction for safety. The desert falcons, having light bodies and weak feathers in their long wings, are unable to fly with succes in anything like a breeze of wind.
The first of this group in India is the SAKER (F. sacer). It is flown at ravine deer, hares, hubara, kites (M. govinda), short-eared owls (S. brachyotus), herons, and the black ibis (G. papillosus). It is like the peregrine, migratory in India, appearing only in the winter months. It breeds in Affghanistan, whence are procured the nestlings which are flown at ravine deer. Wild-caught ones cannot be used for this quarry; at the same time, nestlings would have no chance whatever, except perhaps at hares and hubara, at any of the other quarry at which this falcon is flown. At Hoti Murdan, in the North Punjab, where the Regiment of Fuides (Cavalry and Infantry) is permanently quartered, the officers keep up a regimental establishment of these falcons, and fly them with great success every season, at ravine deer and hubara. The flying powerw of the skaer are most taxed at the kite and short-eared owl, particularly at the latter. Now and then, when the saker is flying at hares, one of these owls will get up off the ground, and be cut down at the first or second stoop easily enough by a hawk which is quite incapable of fairly taking one in a proper flight. If the owl be started and allowed to get up first, the endurance and activity of the best saker will be taxed. For this flight wild-caught sakers must be used, and adult ones are to be preferred. They must be in as high condition as possible, and be flown on still calm days. On such days falcon andquarry will rise perpendicularly over your head, sometimes to such a height as to be beyond the reach of glasses, on which occasions you will se them reapear as one spot in the sky, and then slowly descending to ground, the saker having bound to her quarry aloft. The owl has a peculiar way of avoiding the stoop of the saker, and keeps working upwards with very little fatigue to himself, owing to his light body and large wings, while the saker has to "ring" hard for every stoop, the delivery of each sending her far below her quarry, the owl, apparently, leisurely following her "rings" in much smaller circle. The saker moults well in confinement, but only in few cases is worth the trouble of keeping more than one season.
The LUGGUR (F. luggur). This falcon is the commonest falcon in India; it breeds on trees, generally the peepul (Ficus religiosa), and also on ruins and rocks. Its habits much resemble those of the asker, but it is nmuch more familiar, often entering villages and cantonments, chasing the kites, and snatching off young chickens, mynas, &c., from close to the doors of houses. It is flown at hares in the Punjab, and elsewhere at crows (C. splendens), the common crow of India, egrets, and the night heron. It moults very well in confinement. It does not assume its perfect adult plumage til the third year. In the young the breast is blackish brown, while the head is whitish. In the second year it loses the white on the head. The greast is marked longitudinally, something like a young peregrine's, and the brown colour on the back scarcely changes. In the third year the breast becomes almost white, the markings never become transverse, and the back becomes of a bluish tinge. I think that as a rule, the luggur does not breed till the third year, though I have found ti breeing in the second stage of plumage, and possibly it may like the peregrine and shaheen, which very rarely do so, - be found to breed in the first stage; but I have never seen or heard of an instance.
We now come to the MERLIN group (Lithofalco). These falcons are of small size. In them the third feather in the wing is the longest. They do not soar or "lie on the wing" for any considerable time, though when flying at a bird they ring beautifully, and follow it into the clouds. They have longer tails than the other falcons, and their legs are longer from the thigh to the foot. They bathe but are not so fond of doing so as the peregrine and shaheens.
The RED-HEADED MERLIN (L. chiquera) is much larger and more powerful than our European merlin. It breeds, I believe exclusively on trees, all over India. It preys on doves, mynas, larks and other small birds, but occasionally takes locusts and white ants in their winged state. It is flown at the roller chiefly, and at mynas, sometimes at partridges and quail. There is less difference of colour between the immature and adult birds in this species than in any other hawks used in falconry. The head is of a chestnut colour, also the cheek stripe, the back a pale blue grey, tail the same hue with black bares, the breast white with transverse blackish markings; on the crop there are small black longitudinal dashes. Unlike our European merlin, this species exhibits no sexual difference of colour. The most interesting flights with it are at the roller (Coracias indica), which is quite capable of taxing the powers of the best of trained merlins. I do not think it could be flown with equal success at the European roller (C. garrula). I have flown it at the hoopoe (Upupa epops and U. ceylonensis). It would not be supposed at first sight that the hoopoe could live long before the merlin, but scarcely one merlin in then can catch it. The flight much resembles that of the short-eared owl by the saker, being almost perpendicularly upwards, the hoopoe rising with very little ecertion always on the watch for a stoop, which it avoids in the most dexterous and peculiar manner, while the merlin is working hard, ringing round and round, dashing about and stooping with all its force at every opportunity. I need hardly say that in pace the hoopoe has no chance before the merlin, and any attempt at straightforward flying to make for covert exposes it to danger of immediate capture, I ahve never attempted to moult these or any merlins in confinement. I have had them from the nest frequently, and had numbers of them "flying at hack" from my house for several weeks before training them, and luggurs with them. Some of these merlins have flown at the roller in very good style; but I never did much good with the luggurs so treated.
The EUROPEAN MERLIN (L. æsalon). - This merlin is migratory in India, appearing, according to my observation, somewhat later than the peregrine, and disappearing earlier. I have kept a few and flown them at the hoopoe, but I cannot say with success - probably on account of not taking sufficent trouble with them, being at the time of their appearance in the country occupied with the more powerful falcons. They are very delicate little birds, and require great care and attention.
THE EUROPEAN HOBBY (H. subbuteo) is a coldweather visitant to India, but I am sure that it breeds in Cashmere, though I did not find a nest. It is not at all valued by Eastern falconers, but is sometimes trained and flown at the hooboe, and the male at the common Drongo shrike, "king crow" of Europeans in India (Dicrurus macrocercus).
The INDIAN HOBBY (H. severus) appears to bear preciesly the same relation to H. subbuteo that F. peregrinator does to F. peregrinus. It is smaller, but proportionately somewhat more powerfully armed, and it is of richer colour thant H. subbuteo, the back being of a deeper blue grey, head and cheek-stripe blacker (the stripe being in some individuals almost undistinguishable, and forming nearly a black cap, as in some individuals of peregrinator); the breat is very deep rufous. I found it breeding in the Himalaya near the sources of the rivers Tonse and Jumna. It is rarely trained, but with careful management it flies well at the poopoe and Drongo shrike.
Of the shortwinged Hawks the first group is that of the grue Goshawks (Astur), of which there is but one representative in India - our European Goshawk.
The GOSHAWK (A. palumbarius) is generally throughout India the most valued of all hawks by native falconers, and it still commands a regular market price. There are establishments in the hills for the capture of goshawks, and certain taxes are, or were very lately, levied on each bird before its leaving the hills, amounting to about 12 rupees (24 s.) for each female and 7 or 8 rupees for a male. In the market in the plains the price varies from 50 to 200 rupees (GBP 5 to 20) for a female, and from 25 to 90 rupees for a male, according to the locality where sold, and the appearance and age of the birds, the immature birds fetching the high prices. The goshawk is flown in India at hares, cranes, geese, ducks, teal, hubara, florikin, peafowl, jungle fowl, partridges, crows, kites, neophrons, mynas, and a great variety of other birds, and sometimes at ravine deer. It moults well in confinement, but I believe it deteriorates after our years' use. I saw one in the possession of the Nawab of Rampore, said to be 19 years old. Her irides were quite red. She was well moulted and healthy looking, but nearly useless, though I was assured she had been a first rate son some years before. At the time I saw her she would catch nothing but crows and hares, and these only when she got good chances. I never had much liking (as compared with long-winged hawks) for the goshawks, or any of the short-winged lot; and if I had never been in India I should probably quite agree with Sir J. Sebright, who says of the goshawk, he "never could understand how any one could use thesebirds for sprot." However, I have had much amusement with goshawks, under very favourable circumstances, and they are not to be despised. When they get into really good working order, and are kept in very high condition, they are very swift, and will follow a bird and kill at a much greater distance than would be imagined by those that have only seen them flown at hares, rabbits, and pheasants in England. I don not believe that it is possible to have these hawks in England in the perfect condition for the field to which they may be brought in the East. They are very intellighent, and know their master well - even his voice and step - though, like all short-winged hawks, they quickly get wild and out of order if left much alone. It appears they are exceedingly quick of hearing. When I was with my regiment at Delhi, a detachment, to which with several other officers I belonged, was quartered in the Palace. I kept my falconers and hawks in a courtyard close to my rooms. Our mess was at head-quarters, a considerable distance off, where we all dined. Sometimes I rode home alone, sometimes eith other officers, - as we happended to leave the mess - at variour hours of the night. On reaching my quarters, it was my habit to go in to change my coat, and then to see the hawks before I went to bed. The moment I got off my horse and began to walk up the stone steps ot my room, I always heard the cry of the goshawk. The falconers always knew when I came home by these hawks; they were oftern alseep, and were awakened by them. My brother officers passed in, and the hawk remained quiet.
Another incident, showing the quickness of ear of these hawks, occurred when we were on the line of march from Delhi to another station. In India, a regiment usually maraches long before day-break; and one moonlight night my falconers stayed with the hawks at the "seraie" or native resting place, the column being encamped close to the road a little farther on. I had ordered them to turn out on the sounding of the first bugles (about two a.m.), and to get leisurely along the road, having a male goshawk with his leash off ready to come to me at daybreak, whenever I might call him. While the camp was being struck I was shouting to some one and suddenly heard, in the midst of the row of men, elephants, camels, and bullocks, the cry of a goshawk close to me, and saw the bird flying round, repeating his cry. I called him, and he tried to alight on my hand, but blundered in the moonlight, and at last he pitched on the top of a loaded baggage camel that stood near. I told the camel driver to make the beast kneel, and then took the hawk to my fist. The falconers were passing along the road; the hawk heard my voice, and bolted away from the man who was carrying him, carelessly, with loose jesses. This bird I afterwards sent ot a friend, who brought him to England, and he killed grouse on the moors of Scotland, being perhaps the oly trained goshawk that ever did so - at any rate in modern days. He was a very good one in India though not by any means the best I have had.
I once had a male goshawk which I believe was perfect of his kind. He took storks, the white-necked stork (M. episcopus), bar-headed geese (A. indicus), sheldrakes (C. rutila), and yet was in the constant habit of catching partridges and other small quarry - in fact, all the small quarry at which a male goshawk is flown. It is usually considered, and with good reason, that if you fly a goshawk much at small quarry, and such as is easily captured, it will not go in for big or difficult quarry. But I have flown this hawk for a week at nothing but partridges and small quarry; yet on being flown at a big bird he would go at it, and take it as keenly as if it were a partridge. He didn't appear to have any discrimination as to sixe; a turn of my hand always sent him as hard as he could go at any living thing with feathers on it. He caught kestrels, rollers (C. indica), white-eyed buzzards (Poliornis teesa), on one occasion a merlin (L. chiquera), pigeons, and other exceptional quarry without number. I have seen him make from five to ten stoops at a kestrel on several occasions, and catch. He never "took stand". Immediately on being beaten, as of course he frequently was by such quarry as a roller or kestrel, he returned straight to my fist from the air invariable. He was very fond of the gun, and would follow a bird that had been shot at out of sight - even a wild pigeon. He was successful at times when a bird had got a shot or two in it; but by way of experiment, while he sat on my hand I have often let off a gun in the direction of a crow or pigeon passing over out of shot, such as no goshawk could ordinarily hope to take, and away he would go for a mile or more as hard as he could, and the nreturn straight to me without alighting till he got back. And to the time of his death, which happened in his third year from a cold, he never spared himself.
Be it remembered by all those who wish to have good goshawks, that the very worst fault a goshawk can be guilty of is that of "taking stand", that is perching on a tree in order to have an advantageous position when game is being beaten for. It is no doubt tempting at times, to allow the hawk to do so; and perhaps if you remain in a country where there is an abundance of black partridges, or other game birds, which it can easily catch, the habit may not be found out to be a fault, because the hawk cannot be long before it foots a bird. But it is a crafty habit that all goshawks will contract, if allowed to do so, and they will follow you through forests, from tree to tree, till they kill. You canot call suc hawks to the fist when you want them, they will sig and look at you, and perhaps refuse to come at all without a live bird being offered them. They soon learn to want quarry at advantage, and consequently very soon go off their speed, and are only fit for partridges and teal, and these only when they can fly from a tree. Bu sure you will never take any swift bird whatever with them. If a goshawk has thrown it self up after a flight, or on "putting a bird in", into a tree, the raising of your hand, accompanied by one short call, ought to bring it instangly to you. Most falconers make the mistake with goshawks both when training them, and by way of exercising them when they are trained, of calling a hawk repeatedly to the fist, giving her a bite of food each time, and then putting her down and calling her up again and again, this being often done with washed meat as the reward. Hawks so treated are quite certain to be salck at coming out of a tree, as they have learnt ot come for a present reward, which reward they don't care very much about. But goshawks ought to come to their master´s hand whenever called by him, under a certanity og getting no reward whatever at the time. This is to be arranged by carefully avoiding ever deceiving them by such practices as above mentioned. If it should appear desirable to give them washed meat, give it to them, but do not call them to you to receive it. On any occasion when you wish to do anything to a goshawk which necessitates her being held down, cover your face and avoid speaking aloud till she is released, or get a falconer of experience whom you can trust to operate for you, and keep away.
After goshawks have once learnt ot come to the fist at all, they ought never to be called oftener than twice in each meal during their training, and the distance should be increased every day, discretionally, until they will come at least 100 yards, always on such occasions being rewarded with some newly-killed bird, warm, and a bird they like too, as a wild duck or partridge. Thus they will grow fond of their master, and after a successful flight or two form his hand, will be ever on the lookout ot be with him, never expecting food for merely coming a few yards, whether at home or in the field. Very different is the case with hawks which, having "taken stand" after a flight, have recollections of sodden meat, which hunger compelled them to want, often torn from them by force again and again, by way of teaching them to come freely to the hand while being trained, and which afterwards in the field are always called to the fist by the show of a piece of meat, to be immediately snatched away on their alighting; they sit atd look and think about it. A goshawk which requires to be shown food on the fist to induce her to come, is to my thinking, not worth keeping. There seems to be no doubt that the male goshawk is considereably swifter than the female, as a rule, and I suspect this to be the case with all hawks, though exceptionally some falcons, as well as female goshawks, may be found equalling the tiercels or males in speed.
I should mention that the Indian partridges, black and grey (F. vulgaris and pictus, and O. ponticeriana and gularis) do not equal our English partridges in speed and power of flight, and they are easily captured by goshawks. The goshawk cannot be used with success at English partridges (P. cinerea). Yet I believe I ahve seen some goshawks swift enough to catch them at any time of the year, if they could be approached sufficiently near to give the hawk a fair start, though I do not think it could be done in England, and I certainly shoudn't care to try it. There is a little partridge found in the Salt Range and the low ranges in the Upper Punjab, called Seesee or rock partridge (A. Bonhami), which, though its flight is short, isswifter than the other Indian partridges and it is generally considered too swift for the goshawk, though in localities wher e the chukor partridge (C. chukor) is frequently killed. But I found that good males are quite equal to the flight. The goshawk breeds in the Himalaya, and descends to the jungles at the foot of the hills in the cold weather.
Of the next group, Lophospiza, there is only one representative in India.
The CRESTED GOSHAWK (L. trivirgatus). - This is a bird with which I have had very little experience, but have kept two or three during my time in India. I know nothing whatever of its habits in a wild state, as it does not inhabit Upper India and the Punjab. It is much smaller than the goshawk, and is of little value in the field, as it is slow. From what I can gather concerning its habits, I fancy it occasionally takes lizards and other reptiles, and lives much on rats and squirrels; in these habits resempling the Australian white goshawk, and also the Shikra, of which last I shall speak hereafter.
THE SPARROWHAWK (A. nisus) is a cold weather visitant to the plains of India, and breeds in the Himalaya and Cashmere. Mr. Allan Hume, in his very interesting "Rough Notes on Indian Oology and Ornithology", mentions his belief in the existence of a species closely allied to this, which he separates under the name of the Dove Hawk (A. melachistos). With the utmost deference to the opinion of so able a naturalist, I must say that , as yet, I do not see sufficent grounds for this. Colour, sixe, and quarry are urged as constituting difference, locality and habits, (so far as known) being admitted to be identical. As regards the two first points, colour and sice, I cannot see that the variations from A. nisus described by Mr. Hume, and observed by myself in th Himalaya, amount to more than the individual differences, in some cases very strongly marked, to be observed among examples of A. nisus in England and other parts of Europe. As regards the third point - quarry - I msut quote my friend's observations. He says: "I call this the ove hawk, because both specimens that I shot had killed doves (T. rupicola). The one struck a dove before my eyes at the back of Jacko (Simla), and fell to my shot the same moment; the other was perched on a bare brandh, between Simla and Kalka, devouring a dove when I killed it. This may be accidental, but I mention it because I doubt whether the true Nisus (especially the male, as one of mine was) would strike so large a bird." I have italicised the last observation. Many of my readers are nodoubt aware that the female A. nisus in England will on occasions surprise and kill a very large dove, well known as the wood pigeon, cushat, or ringdove. Is it not, then , to be expected that in countries where much smaller doves of varoius kinds abound, the male nusus should occasionally make them his quarry? Moreover, I have several times seen T. rupicola caought by wild sparrowhawks as well as by trained ones, and have caught these hawks using this dove as a bait, and I think that, whatever may be elucidated as to other alleged points of difference, the killing of doves cannot be admitted as one. But in the above-quoted remarks one differnce from inusus, and, indeed, from any Accipiter, presents itself to the naturalist who has watched these birds in their hawuts, in the spot selected by the hawk (a bare branch), for the purpose of feeding. This may have been accidental, but it is worthy of note, since recorded on such authority; for Accipiter almoat invariably feeds on the ground, under shelter of a bush or fence in some secluded place: I cannot call to mind a single instance of having seen an Accipter feeding other wise. Who has not seen in numerous spots about the hedgerows of a wooded district in England the small close heap - evidengly not drifted from a tree - of larks', littens', and other small birds' feathers, indication where the sparrowhawk has dined? These are not the work of the kestrel, for it is incapable of catching such birds, except when they are very young or weakly; nor of the merlin, for the merlin doesn't haunt the wooded country. All the Rapacidæ have specific peculiarities in their method of feeding; Aquila betakes itself generally to the ground, on an open plain, or some eminence; Falco feeds indifferently on the ground, on rocks, or on trees, according to circumstances or locality; but Astur and Accipiter always, as a rule, betake themselves to a secluded spot on the ground, and, if disturbed, will fly along in the best course to avoid observation, keeping low; and, availing myself of this habit, I have actually caught Accipiter on several occasions with quarry in the feet, by means of carefully arranged nets. The reasons for the habits of the several forms may be assigned as follow. Eagles fear no winged enemy, and do not feed comfortably on a perch, as their beaks are comparatively weak, and they require a purchase from their feet for every mouthful. They therefore prefer the open plain where winged enemies are at defiance, and the unseen approach of other enemies is impossible, by reason of their quickness of sight. Long-winged hawks or falcons having killed their quarry, which they do instantaeously on coming to the ground, have one foot at liberty; their beaks are powerful and sharp, and they can feed nearly as well on the large limb of a tree as on the ground, if the presence of the eagles or the sun sends them to such shelter. On the other hand, the short-winged hawks, Astur and Accipiter, do not seem to know where the life in their quarry lies, and are very unwilling for a consideralble time to shift their hold by both feet, and they begin to plume and eat as soon as motion ceases, pinching hard as a roll of the quarry, or it may be a death struggle, occurs --- so that perching is at least awkward for them, and they have, moreover, the weak beaks of the eagles, and cannot eat without plenty of purchase. If you give a tame sparrowhawk, confined to a perch, a bird to pick and eat, you will find she will be very awkward and drop it many times before she gets ghrough it, slipping off when pulling with both feet on it, and then letting it drop to regain her perch. The merlin or peregrine, on the contrary, will ear every morsel without a mishap.
The sparrowhawk is much prized by the Eastern falconer. It is used for taking quails, partridges, and an infinite variety of small birds. It is usually thrown from the palm of the right hand. Eastern falconers always carry a hawk on the right hand, the left is passed gently over the head down the back till the thumb and fingers reach her thighs; the hawk is then grasped, lifted, and transferred to the right, her breast resting on the palm, legs extended along the tail. When thequarry rieses, or is approached sufficiently near, the hawk is thrown like a dart, with much force, at it. It micht be expected that such a proceeding would discompose a bird of so wild a temperament as the spaarowhawk; but she soon learns to appreciate the advantage she thus gains, and lies watchful and perfectly motionless till launched at her quarry. The skilful throwing of a sparrowhawk involves a certain amount of manual dexterity which I never acquired, nor indeed did I ever occupy myself much with the handling of sparrowhawks. Eastern falconers also use a sort of collar, made of light leather or plaited silk, worn on the hawk's neck, a cord attached to the collar being held between the finger and thumb; it is called the "halshband", and is supposed in the case of short-winged hawks to give the hawk an advantage when thrown at a bird off the fist, keeping her head straight during the violent motion of the hand. Many falconers always fly the goshawk with this appendage, and it is used for the spaaowhawk in cases where itis required that she should see clearly the quarry she is to og at, and observe its movements before she stars, instead of being thrown out of the hand; but I never could see the advantage of it, except in taking quail with the sparrowhawk. These halshbands were very often handsomely jewelled, and of fine workmanship.
THE BESRA (A. virgatus) is much smaller than the preceeding. I believe it breeds at the foot of the Himalaya. It appears in the plains in the first or second week in August. It isvery swift and very active, much like nusus in miniature. Indian falconers frequently train it, and fly it at small birds, but it is too small and delicate to be of much service in the field; it cannot be worked hard like nisus at quail.
We now come to the fourth and last group of the short-winged hawks - MICRASTUR - of which there is only one representative in India. In this group the legs are shorter and stouter than in Accipiter, and in the young plumage the markings on the breast are longitudinal, in these points resembling Astur. While the Accipiter group are purely bird eaters, the Micrastur group prey frequently on palm squirrels and other small mammals, also on lizards and frogs.
The SHIKRA (M. badius) is abundant throughout Hindostan from Ceylon to Peshawur, breeding in trees, frequently in the neighbourhood of villages. Great numbers are trained by the natives, and a vast quantity of birds of various kinds are caught by them. The shikra never takes a bird of attempts to do so, in the tame state, except when thrown from the palm of the hand. I believe it is incapable of doing so, as its flight is very slow compared with that of the sparrowhawks. In its wild state it subsists much on palm squirrels, mice, lizards, frogs, &c., and sometimes catches weakly or young birds. It is, however, very plucky, and a good one will seize and hang on to almost any bird it is flown at, if it can get up to it. It si too slow for taking quail, though a good hand at throwing a hawk in the manner before described manages to kill a bird now and then, provided it is sprung at his feet and he is prepared for a throw. Where large establishments of hawks are kept, the falconers usually have two or three shikras for the purpose of assisting in procuring a supply of bird food; they are trained in a few days, and give no trouble The shikra is very hardy, and will live for several years in vigour (to my knowledge for six). I need say no more about this hawk, which is one that no English sportsman would care to trouble himself about. To this species Sir J. Sebright's remark about the goshawk, quoted before, fairly applies.
The hawk eagles can hardly be said to come under the head of "Falconidae used in India in Falconry"; at the present day I think I may safely say that not one exists in a trained state in India. But I have heard that they have been trained in former days, and it is undoubtedly possible to train them now, though I cannot say I think they would at all repay the trouble they would demand. Their disadvantages are their great weight on the fist, and almost aquiline power of fasting, with a somewhat sulky temper - though of course the latter difficulties are to be over come by proper management - and though they do chase, and mover very smartly at times, they often look long for a favourable opportunity befor going at a bird. However, they are all handsome birds, some of them exceedingly so, and very interesting to watch, either in a wild or tame state; and in answer to several inquiries I include this notice of them. All of these birds have very powerfully armed feet; their talons are enormous. They are all most destrutive to game and to Spizaëtos caligatus and S. nipalensis must undoubtedly in a large measure be attributed to the scarcity of game in many parts of the Himalaya.
THE CRESTLESS HAWK EAGLE (E. Bonelli) is the only representative of the group Eutolmaëtos in India. It is found throughout the country, I believe, and is by no means uncommon in the N. W. Provinces and the Punjab. A very interesting account of the nidification, with a description of this eagle is given in Mr. A. Hume's "Rough Notes" before mentioned. It breeds in the plains and the low ranges of the Himalaya. In the plains it hunts much in an aquiline fashion, soaring at a great height and rushing down when it sees an opportunity; it is always on the look-out for chances of robbing the hawks and falcons, and no enemy is so much detested by the Indan falconer, as E. Bonelli. It sometimes catches hares (I have seen it do so); and I once saw one near Moradabad catch a purple heron (A purpurea) on the wing over the open plain, by a rush out of the air at it, as it was winging its way from one (jheel) to another, and shot it as it rose from eating its quarry in some rushes. I was informed lately by Mr. Howard Saunders that he had found that sand grouse had been carried to the nest of thes eagle in Southern Spain. There is little doubt but that these birds were obtained by robbing the peregrine falcon, which is numerous in Spain, and preys much on the sand grouse. I think that the aquiline propensities of this eagle make it less promising for an experiment in training than those of the following group.
Crested Hawk Eagles (Spizaëtos). - These are all adorned with a long occipital crest; they soar less than the last group, and inhabit wooded hill ranges.
THE CRESTED HAWK EAGLE (S. cirrhatus) - Of this hawk eagle I ahve nothing to observe further than that it is very closely allied to S. nipalensis; and I do not feel sure that cirrhatus is not simply a paler form of nipalensis.
The CHANGABLE HAWKEAGLE (S. calligatus) is found among the lower ranges of the Himalay, where it breeds. I caught some near the station of Mussoorie several years ago, and I remember having a fancy to see what could be done with them in the fiels. But my experience in this coincides with that of Mr. R. Thompson, a gentleman frequently quoted by Mr. Hume in the afore-mentioned "Rough Notes". My falconers hated them, and I am sure they met with neglect or foul play when I was away shooting in the hills, and my experiments did not go very far.
HODGSON'S HAWK EAGLE (S. nipalensis). --- I have had very favorable opportunities of observing this handsome hawk eagle, especially during the summer of last year, which I spent in the Himalaya, living on a ridge nearly 9000 ft high in the Harzara District, bordering on Cashmere. This species was very numerous in the pine forests there, and I shot and captured several specimens. I found it breeding in large trees at little under 8000 ft. elevation.
The destruction of the pheasants by it must ve very great; but it is fair to say that it is equally severe up on another arch-enemy to pheasants and partridges, the Himalyan pine marten. One day last summer, seated on a spur commanding a vies of seeral favourite perching places - tall, isolated, lightning-blasted pines - I was watching for the appearance of nipalensis with my grass, having nets in readiness. On lower ridges here and there in my view were huts inhabited by herdsmen, who every year come up from their villages for the summer months to pasture their cattle. These people bring fowls up with them, which are constantly carried off by the hawk eagles. I had given them instructions t obe on the look-out, and on the apprearance of the eagle to avoid disturbing him, and to drive their fowls into the jungle. I soon saw one alight on a pine, standing on a ridge not much lower than where I sat, commanding a view of a hut from which nearly all the fowls had been taken. I started off at once for the place where I intended to set my nets, lower down on the hill side, rather in the direction of the herd hut, and had got some way down, when I heard, to my surprose, a great uproar among the people, and immediately after caught sight of the eagle gliding swiftly down straight to wards them. I ran down to the huts, and was just in time to see the eagel on the side of a precipitous ravine in the act of killing a pine marten, and to have a good look at him through the glass before he sailed lower down the gorge, accipiter fashion, to eat it on the ground undisturbed. The people told me they had also see nthe eagle alight on the pine, and as they were driving the fowls out of view into the jungle a hen was seized and carried off by a pine marten. They pursued with shouts, and made him drop it at the watercourse hear the head of the ravine, and as he was scampering off up the other side, down came the eagle and caught him. I found the remains of a pine marten close to the haunts of this eagle, which I have no doubt, was killed by it, and have, moreover, found pine marten's hair in its castings. The natives say that it destroys great numbers of musk deer. There is no doubt that it is capable, if so inclined, of killing even the adult musk deer. The herdsmen told me that cats frequently follow them fro mthe villages when they first come up for the season, but not one goes back; all are kille sooner or later by the "jor" - snatched almost from the house door sometimes - generally when the cat is on a slope towards the ravine, and when seized it is instantly borne down out if sight. They said a cat would make as good a bait for my nets as a fowl, which I always used. However, a cat would probably have sat still and sulked, and so have been over-looked by the eagle. Or, if the eagle did come, the chances would be that , hamered in the net, it would be attacked and injured by the cat, who would of course bu under the impression of being in danger, and yet perfectly free from injury by the eagle, because the arrangement of the net prevents the bait being touched by it. Few wild birds look handsomer, or show to greater advangae, than a fine adult nipalensis seated on a blased pine tree watching for quarry to appear in the grass below, It generally sits on a branch sticking out at right angles a little below the top. It looks very like a gigantic goshawk, and many of its actions are the same as in the goshawk. It moves its tail on alighting in the same way. when sitting, the crest is curious appearance. The eyes of the adult bird are splendid - intensely fiery yellow irides; in the young bird the irides are of a dull grey. Nothin could exceed the fierceness of some of the adult birds I caught when first taken; but I believe they could be made as gentle as a nestling I had last year, thatn which no bird of any kind could possibly be more gentle. He was brought up from the nest by a friend, and was very tame when sent to me, with his tail feathers wanting about a couple of inches of their length. He continued tame till I let him fly at ahck, and all of a sudden he got a little wild, which was to be expected, and (what I did not expect) he became rager savage. However, all this very soon passed off entirely, and he became moretame and gentle than ever, though frequently allowed to fly at liberty. He looked bery handsome seated on his block on the lawn, and he would allow himself to be stroked by ladies or children without a sign of impatience, even suffering his great tail to be expanded for inspection. I brought him down with me to Rawul-Pindee, where before starting for England, I gave him to a friend in the R.H.A., who has lately sent me photographs of him. I came to the conclusion from my observations of nipalensis and caligatus, wild and tame, that the yount remain for a much longer period than the young of other Raptores, under the care of the old birds. I have seen them in company with their parents up to October, and the nestlings and immature birds which I have kept have shown themselves very stupid for a length of time in seizing things offered to them, living or dead. I ahve never caught an immature bird earlier than October, except by putting a tame bird cown to feed close to the nets. They wouldn't come at a fowl, whereas the old birds dashed at it at once.
THE RUFOUS-BREASTED HAWK EAGLE (S. Kieneri) is very rare, and I have only seen its skin. It is very handsome, much smaller than the preceeing birds of this type, and, from the accounts given of it, is probably the most active.
Having now, I believe, answered all the questions which have been put to me, I will take the opportunity of saying a little on the wanton and wasteful destruction of game in the Himalaya. It si true, as I said before, of nipalensis and caligatus, that to these hawk eagles the scarcity of game in many parts is to be attributed. But advancing civilisation has driven many of these birds from their former haunts, yet bringing still harder times for the unfortunate game birds. For, it will hardly be credited, the black partridge (F. vulgaris), chukor partridge (C. chukor), kalege phesants (G. albocristatus and melanotus), pukras (or koklas) pheasants (P. macrolopha) have for years past regularly made their appearance in April, May, June, and July, at second course at the tables of English summer residents at the hill stations. These birds which all breed in the immediate neighourhook of our hill stations, as well as others of larger size and more splendid plumage, found at a greater distance, are mostly purchased of the village shikarees, who find them at that season particularly well suited to their style of shooting, which, I may observe, doesn't admit of a wearisome discussion on the advantages or non-advantages of "swing". Moreover, the work of making a bag is ver yoften simplified by the small trouble of taking out thoroughly tame cage birds of each sort in their cages in the jungle, and hanging them in places favourabvle for a view of the approach of wild ones. The sprtsmen then skokes his pipe or dozes close to his birds, weapon ready (generally a long matchlock loaded with small round stones from the river bed or shot made of bullets cut up with a knife), and, roused and warned of the approach of the game by the calling, he "lets the mahve it" at his leisure. Then you hear, "how inferior all Indian partridges and pheasants are to those in England - how tasteless and dry."! However, I am glad to say that in some parts, notably in Rawul-Pindee and Hazara, and in Simla, the district authorities are alive to these murderous practices, and a check has been locally given to this waste of life. It is to be hoped that Government will interfere with strong enactments, having for object simply the strict enforcing of a close time, by prohibiting the sale, purchase, or destruction of any of the gallinaceous game birds on the hills for a certain season. Legislation as regards these birds could injure no one; no one could have cause for complaint; while, at no one's cost, there would be numbers of birds in the forests suitable for food. No game bird in the Himalaya is, or can be, accused of being destructive to crops, and there are interminable forest, which they all, whth the exception perhaps of the black partridge, prefer to cultivated places, and most of them are never seen where there is cultivation. If to a close time be added the offer of a very trifling reward for the destruction of certain vermin (and this might be locally done by those residents of stations who care for sport), the lower and middle ranges of the Himalaya, say grom 3000 ft. to 11.000 ft. elevation, would abound with really wild game of great variety and beauty, and, if it must be admitted that they are not gererally equal to our highly fed English pheasants, at any rate of excellent quality for the table. As it is, it is sad to hear, by the accounts of English officers who shot in the Himalay some fiftenn or twenty years ago, as well as from natives, of the sweeping destruction that has come upon the game birds - birds, too, that exists nowhere else in the world, except in caged specimens in menageries - and many of the species are not even so represented. I think that from April 1st to August 12th would be sufficiently long for a close time. This may be considered short, and might be extended, but most of the young birds will be found fit to shoot by August 12th, and the breeding season in the Himalaya is late; the snows do not disappear even at 7000 ft. before April 1st, and lower down the birds don't breed till the jungle grass gets high.
CHAP. II
NEXT ON MY LIST comes the group of Hobbies (Hypotriorchis), of which there are two representatives used in India. It is strange that naturalists who have written on ornithology, should have spoken of a bird belonging to this group - H. subbuteo, - as a "peregrine in miniature". The hobbies are much mre nearly allied to the desert falcons than to ther peregriens. They are very swift, have very long wings, and short tails; but their plumage is soft, and they do not fly at a bird well in a breeze of wind. As in the desert falcons the markings on the breast are longitudinal in the adults as well as in the young birds. They also resemble the desert falcons in their habit of catching insects, and in the proportions of their beaks and feet; and those who have kept falcons of both groups will recognize other points of resemblance..
CHAP. III
OF THE GROUP OF SPARROWHAWKS (Accipiter) there are two representatives in India with which I am acquainted - A. nisus and A. virgatus. Eastern falconers make mention of a third, which they call the Khandesra, or Khand Besra; but, if it exists at all, it is very rare. My impression is that one was brought to me at Lucknow, in 1858, but I have no memoranda concerning it.
BORCH'S FALCONRY - english