Both these have been trained in Europe and Asia.
9. The Robby.—Hypotriorchis subbuteo, L. Doureli, Regi. Native of Europe ; a winter visitor to all • parts of India.
10. Indian Hobby.—H. severus, Hord: Dhuti, female; Dhuter, male. Inhabits the Himalaya, Malay ' Peninsula, Java, and the Philippines.
11. The. Kestrel. — Tinnunculus alaudarius, Narzi, female; Narzanak, male. A native, of Europe ; a cold-weather visitor to India.
12. Lesser Kestrel. — Erythropus cencbris, Araum. Kashmir, Neilgherries.
13. .Red-legged Falcon.—E. vespertinus, L, S. Europe, N. Africa, Western and Central Asia, India.
14. Shikra.—Micronisus badius, Gm. Shikra, female; Chipka, Chipak, male. Afghanistan, all India, Ceylon, Assam, Burma, Malayans.
15. European Sparrow-hawk. — Accipiter nisus, L. Basha, female ; Bashin, male. Visits India, October to March.
16. Besra Sparrow-hawk.—A. virgatus, Temm. Beare, female; Dhoti, /7242/e. All the large forests of India, Assam, Burma, and Archipelago.
The Shikra and her tiered the Chipak are flown at partridges, and by their swiftness and agility afford tolerable sport. At the saine time they are opprobriously called dog-birds by the falconer, on account of their ignoble qualities, their want of stanchness, and their habit of carry ing the game,—carrying being the technical word for flying away with the wounded bird. They
could formerly be bought ready trained in most parts of Sind for a shilling or two.
The Shikra, Micronisus badius, is more com monly trained in India than any other hawk.
The European sparrow-hawk, Accipiter nisus, and the Besra sparrow-hawk, A. virgatus, are both largely trained.
The Bashah sparrow-hawk, A. Maus, and her mate the Bashin, a small, short-winged, low-flying bird with yellow eyes, and dark plumage in her first year, which afterwards changes to a light ash colour, marked with large grey bars, are very much valued on account of the rapid way in which they fill the pot, especially with partridges. As they remain in Sind during the cold weather, and retire in summer to the hills around, those trained are passage-hawks, or birds of the year. Their low price, 8s. or 10s., made it scarcely worth while to mew them, so they were let loose when the moulting season commenced.—Jerdon's Birds ; Burton's Falconry in the Valley of the Indus.