PLATE VI 1. Spotted Sandgrouse 2. Large Pintail Sandgrouse 3. Tibetan Sandgrouse 4. Coronetted Sandgrouse 5. Imperial Sandgrouse 6. Indian Sandgrouse 7. Painted Sandgrouse 50 OSPREY 1. The Osprey stands in a family by itself, being in some respects a link between the Owls and the diurnal raptores. It is a magnificent fisher, and dives from a great height for fish which is its principal food. It frequents large rivers and lakes and also the sea along the coast. Its voice is a short shrill musical whistle repeated a number of times at a stretch. Unlike the Fishing and the Sea Eagles it does not stoop to eating carrion. It is brown above and white below, with a whitish head. It known as and महरंगा in Hindi corresponding to फुरर and मत्स्यरक ( श्येन) in Sanskrit. Recognition of as a bird of prey is to be found in the fact that it is supposed to be the progeny of भासी the sister of श्येनी :- “श्येनी श्येनांश्च भासी च कुररानप्यजीजनत्" पद्यपुराण, सृष्टिखण्ड, 6.64, are and later lexicographers have treated and as synonymous and have therefore done away with the old distinction between the Osprey on the one hand and the Fishing and Sea Eagles on the other simply because they too like the former kill fish for food:- "उत्क्रोशकुररी समौ”–अमर "उत्क्रोशो मत्स्यनाशनः कुररः" - अभि. चिन्तामणि "कुररो मत्स्यनाशनः ।" —हारावली and , however, have kept them apart, the former as and the latter as 3 and the same distinction obtains in Buddhist and Sanskrit literature as well. डल्हूण on सुश्रुत explains कुरर as "कुररश्चियाकारो नादोत्यापितमत्स्य, हस्तमलपग्राही, कुरल इति लोके" and उत्क्रोश as 'कुररभेद' ie a bird resembling, or a kind of g. This is as it should be, for the fishing 1. This equation is really a homonymous one covering the Osprey, Fishing Eagles, Gulls, Terus and the Curlew. For the last two it must be taken in the feminine gender- estat gewat. See Art 68. For e as the Demoiselle crane See Art. 62.
