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substituted vultures for falcons. This is probable, since no true vulture could, by any amount of training, be taught to catch either a hare or a fox, the structure of their feet and claws being unadapted for the purpose. But the doubt expressed by the same author, as to whether eagles can be so taught, has been quite set at rest by a quotation from Sir Joseph Fayrer, made by M'Crindle, to the effect that when the Prince of Wales visited Lâhor there were among the people collected about the Government House some Afghâns, with large eagles, trained to pull down deer and hares. They were perched on their wrists like hawks.
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
It may be added, that the members of Sir Douglas Forsyth's mission to Yârkand and Kashghar, in 1872-3, brought back full accounts of the employment of golden eagles for the same purpose in those regions.
Further, Dr. Scully, in a Paper entitled, A Contribution to the Ornithology of Eastern Turkistán, speaking of the golden eagle, says: "The trained bird is very common in Eastern Turkestan, every governor of a district usually having several. It is said to live and breed in the hills south of Yârkand, and near Khoten, where the young birds are caught, to be trained for purposes of falconry.
... The trained qaraqúsh is always kept hooded when it is indoors, except when about to be fed, and the method of carrying it to the chase is the following. The man who is to carry the eagle is mounted on a pony, and has his right hand and wrist protected by a thick gauntlet. A crutch, consisting of a straight piece of stick, carrying a curved piece of horn or wood-the concavity being directed upwards-is attached to the front of the saddle; the man grasps the cross piece of the crutch with his gloved hand, and the eagle then perches on his wrist," &c.
19. THE BITTAKOS OR PSITTAKOS (Βίττακος, ψιττακός).
Palæornis eupatrius, Linn.-P. Alexandri, Auctorum.
Ktêsias describes the Birrakos as a bird which "has a tongue and voice like the human, is
Loc. cit. p. 97.
48 Stray Feathers, Vol. VI. 1876, p. 123.
Ecloga in Photii, Bibl. lxxii. Ancient India, p. 7.
Cf. M'Crindle's
[NOVEMBER, 1885.
of the size of a hawk, has a red bill, is adorned with a beard of a black colour, while the neck is red like cinnabar; it talks like a man, in Indian; but if taught Greek, can talk in Greek also." This description serves to distinguish it from among the five or six species of par roquets which occur in India, and it may confidently be identified with the above-named species, which is the largest and most commonly domesticated of them all.
Elian says he was informed that there were “three species of σιττακός or ψιττακός, all of which, if taught to speak as children are taught, become as talkative as children, and speak with a human voice; but in the woods they utter a bird-like scream, and neither send out any distinct and musical note, nor, being wild and untaught, are able to talk."
20. THE EPOPS ("ETOV).
Eupupa epops, Linn.-The Indian Hoopoe. The Indian hoopoe, according to Elian," "is reputed to be double the size of ours, and more beautiful in appearance; and while, as Homer says, the bridle and trappings of a horse are the delight of a Hellenic king, this hoopoe is the favourite plaything of the king of the Indians, who carries it on his hand, and toys with it, and never tires gazing in ecstasy on its splendour, and the beauty with which nature has adorned it. The Brakhmanes make this particular bird the subject of a mythic story," &c.
The common hoopoe of Northern India is identical with the European bird. In Southern India there is a nearly allied, but smaller bird, E. nigripennis. There is, therefore, no foundation for Elian's statement that the Indian bird is double the size of the European, it being unlikely that any other bird could have been intended.
It may be added, from Jerdon's Birds of India, that "in captivity it is said to be readily tamed, and to show great intelligence and susceptibility of attachment. Musalmâns venerate the hoopoe on account of their supposing it to have been a favourite bird of Solomon (Sulaimân) who is said to have employed one as a messenger."
so Hist. Anim., xvi. 1, 15.
Hist. Anim., xvi. Of. Megasthende, by J. W. M'Crin. dle, p. 159.
