Part IITHE DARK-EYED BIRDS OF PREY

Part IITHE DARK-EYED BIRDS OF PREYCHAPTER XIITHE EAGLES[121]AND BUZZARDS[122]

[Theauthor commences this chapter with the statement that it is his intention to describe those species of the black-eyed birds of prey that have at different times come into his possession, or that have been trained by him “according to their several capabilities.” His descriptions of the eagles are too vague for identification. All the eagles, he says, are migratory, with the exception of theʿUqāb-i māh-dumor “Moon-tailed eagle,”[123]which he describes as follows:]—

ʿUqāb-i māh-dum, “The Moon-tailed Eagle.”—The whole of the tail of this eagle is white, with the exception of the end, which is black. The plumage of the breast, back, and head, is uniformly dark, without markings of any description. Its powers of fasting are extraordinary: it can endure seven or eight days without food and yet be not one whit the worse. Migration, too, is not a necessity for it. Even in the depth of Winter I have observed it high up in the snows. It seldom descends into the plains. The fierce rays of the sun and the bitter blasts of the snows are all one to its proud, enduring nature. I have observed it in the hills, preying on partridges, hares, and “lambs.”[124]It is the most daring and powerful of all the eagles.

ʿUqāb-i kūchigān[White-tailed Sea Eagle?].—The next species is theʿUqāb-i kūchigān. In this species the whole of the tail (which is rather short) is white. The wings are long, and the flight is exceedingly swift. The plumage of the back and breast is dark. The beak, which is large and powerful as a vulture’s, is of the colour of amber. This eagle always hunts and feeds in couples, preying chiefly on water-fowl; hence it is seldom found far from water.

ʿUqāb-i ā,īna-lī[Imperial Eagle?].—In this eagle, which is smaller than either of the preceding, the back, breast, claws and beak are all uniformly dark; the colouring of the head is a dark reddish brown. Fowlers have named itĀ,īna-lī[125]from the fact of its having a few white feathers in its back.

Karlak.—This eagle equals the first-named species,i.e., theMāh-dum, in size. The beak and claws are black and extraordinarily powerful. The plumage is generally brown, and covered with markings. The head and back are, however, one uniform colour. In habits it resembles all the eagles.

Black Eagle.—Another species is black without markings, but the colour of the head is slightly different from that of the body. It is not a very noble species.

ʿUqāb-i zard(“Yellow Eagle.”)—Description. The plumage of the back is very dark, with a tinge of yellow in it, while that of the breast is tawny (yellow), and marked with longitudinal black drops. The head and neck are very handsome, and somewhat like a goshawk’s. This eagle, in the immature plumage, is called theʿUqāb-i sīna-bāzī.

Once, when in attendance on the Shāh, I trained a single specimen of this species, and took a certain amount of quarry with it.

Būq-k͟hura;The “Frog-eater” [Spotted Eagle?].—Another species of eagle is theʿUqāb-i qurbāqa-chī[126](“Frog-eater”), called by the people of Kurdistan Sulemāniya,Būq-k͟hura.[126]The plumage of the head, neck, back, and breast is blackish yellow. This eagle frequents marshes and reed beds, preying on wounded or deadwater-fowl. Failing these, it contents itself with frogs, dead fish, or other stranded material. It is from this habit of eating frogs that it has earned its names of “Frog-eagle” and “Frog-eater.”

Dūbarār[A Hawk-Eagle?].—In habits theDūbarārresembles the eagles, but not in size, the male being scarcely larger than a female goshawk.[127]This species always hunts in couples and is very daring and bold by nature. In the immature bird, the plumage of the back is a yellowish black, while that of the breast is a dark red without spot or marking. After the moult, the plumage of the breast assumes a deeper and brighter hue. The “pendant”[128]feathers of the thigh hang down to the tarsus.

When inʿArabistān,[129]I once took one with achark͟hI had trained to eagles. I succeeded in training it in the space of about forty days and flew it successfully at black partridge,parah malā,[130]hare, and common heron.[131]A friend of mine then took it from me.

Large numbers of these eagles breed in the vicinity ofHamadān.[132]I have trained nestlings, but never with success: they are poor performers on the wing. The wild-caught bird is superior in every way. Still I found this species swifter and more tractable than any other kind of eagle.

TheSār(or Buzzard).—Another kind of eagle is the buzzard,[133]of which there are two common species. In the first the generalcolouring of the plumage is very dark without spot or marking: the feet and cere are a deep orange yellow. The plumage of the second is tawny. Both species are ill-conditioned and villainous by nature. Their prey is rats, mice, frogs, lizards, and wounded or sickly birds. When they dare, they rob their more weakly neighbours. They are too mean-spirited for the purposes of falconry.

FOOTNOTES:[121]ʿUqābAr., orqara-qushT. The latter word properly means “black bird of prey,” and is a term specially applied to the Golden Eagle.[122]Sār,videnote133, page 32.[123]ʿUqāb-i māh-dum, “moon-tailed eagle.” Can this be Pallas’s sea eagle? The author does not mention that it is found in the vicinity of water.[124]Barra; properly a lamb. The author elsewhere uses this word for the fawn of the “ravine-deer.”[125]ʿUqāb-i ā,īna-lī.Ā,īnameans “mirror.”[126]ʿUqāb-i qurbāqa-chī;būq-k͟hura.Qurbāqaandbāqaare both Turki names for a frog.BūqT. is “ordure,” and figuratively anything filthy. The Spotted Eagle (Aquila nævia) feeds largely on frogs.[127]The length of the female goshawk is said to be 22 to 26 inches: of the male 18 to 21 inches. There is in Persia a species of small eagle or hawk-eagle that always hunts in pairs and that is known to Persians by the name ofDu-Barādarānor “The Two Brothers.” TheDūbarārof the author is perhaps a corruption ofDu-Barādarān. In theḤāyatu’l-Ḥaywān, the Arab name of the latter is said to beZumaj, a word that occurs in old Arabic and Persian MSS. on falconry.[128]Parhā-yi rān-ash tā pācha rīk͟hta.Possibly by this expression the author means that the whole of the tarsus is feathered. “‘Pendant Feathers,’ those behind the thighs of a hawk.”—Harting.[129]ʿArabistānorK͟huzistān: its capital Shuster is about 130 miles north of the head of the Persian Gulf.[130]Parah malā(?); possibly forParlāT., which is said to be the name of a “black water-bird with a white beak.” The coot?[131]Ḥaqar: variously spelt in old Persian MSS. on falconryawqār,aqārandʿuqār; latter correct.[132]Hamadān: about 100 miles North-East of Kirmānshāh.[133]Sār(forsā?): Apparently two species of large buzzard are so-called by the author. This word must not be confused withsārthe common Persian word for starling. In Dr. Scully’s list of the Turkish names of birds,sāis said to be the name applied to Buzzards, Harriers, and Kites.

[121]ʿUqābAr., orqara-qushT. The latter word properly means “black bird of prey,” and is a term specially applied to the Golden Eagle.

[122]Sār,videnote133, page 32.

[123]ʿUqāb-i māh-dum, “moon-tailed eagle.” Can this be Pallas’s sea eagle? The author does not mention that it is found in the vicinity of water.

[124]Barra; properly a lamb. The author elsewhere uses this word for the fawn of the “ravine-deer.”

[125]ʿUqāb-i ā,īna-lī.Ā,īnameans “mirror.”

[126]ʿUqāb-i qurbāqa-chī;būq-k͟hura.Qurbāqaandbāqaare both Turki names for a frog.BūqT. is “ordure,” and figuratively anything filthy. The Spotted Eagle (Aquila nævia) feeds largely on frogs.

[127]The length of the female goshawk is said to be 22 to 26 inches: of the male 18 to 21 inches. There is in Persia a species of small eagle or hawk-eagle that always hunts in pairs and that is known to Persians by the name ofDu-Barādarānor “The Two Brothers.” TheDūbarārof the author is perhaps a corruption ofDu-Barādarān. In theḤāyatu’l-Ḥaywān, the Arab name of the latter is said to beZumaj, a word that occurs in old Arabic and Persian MSS. on falconry.

[128]Parhā-yi rān-ash tā pācha rīk͟hta.Possibly by this expression the author means that the whole of the tarsus is feathered. “‘Pendant Feathers,’ those behind the thighs of a hawk.”—Harting.

[129]ʿArabistānorK͟huzistān: its capital Shuster is about 130 miles north of the head of the Persian Gulf.

[130]Parah malā(?); possibly forParlāT., which is said to be the name of a “black water-bird with a white beak.” The coot?

[131]Ḥaqar: variously spelt in old Persian MSS. on falconryawqār,aqārandʿuqār; latter correct.

[132]Hamadān: about 100 miles North-East of Kirmānshāh.

[133]Sār(forsā?): Apparently two species of large buzzard are so-called by the author. This word must not be confused withsārthe common Persian word for starling. In Dr. Scully’s list of the Turkish names of birds,sāis said to be the name applied to Buzzards, Harriers, and Kites.

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