MORPHNUS.—THRASAETUS. 89 
subtus albidus, pectore griseo, abdomine toto, tectricibus subcaudalibus et tibiis sparsim fusco trans- 
fasciatis; subalaribus albis; remigibus nigris, albo oblique transfasciatis ; cauda nigra, albo terminata et 
supra griseo quadrifasciata ; rostro nigro, pedibus flavis. Long. tota circa 30:0, ale 17:0, caude 15:0, 
tarsi 4°7. (Descr. exempl. ex Lion Hill, Panama. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Panama, Lion Hill (M‘ZLeannan), R. Truando (C. J. Wood?, A. Schott 6), Sour 
AMERICA from Colombia? to Guiana’? and Amazonia 4. 
M. guianensis is an inhabitant of the dense forests of the Amazon Valley, and we 
have examples in our collection from British Guiana and Colombia. 
M‘Leannan sent us a specimen from Panama, and Mr. C. J. Wood shot another on 
the Truando River in the same province. He writes:— Only observed on one 
occasion on the Rio Truando, at the first camp after leaving the Atrato. I noticed 
this Eagle at first perched in a high tree, but after I had fired at a small bird, he 
immediately flew very rapidly and fiercely direct towards the spot where I was standing, 
as though he intended to pounce upon me. He approached to within a few feet, when 
I killed him with small shot.” This, so far as we know, is the first recorded instance 
of the occurrence of the species in Central America. 
THRASAETUS. 
Harpyia, Vieillot, Anal. p. 24 (1816). 
Thrasaetus, Gray, P. Z. 8. 1837, p. 108; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. i. p- 223; Ridgw. Bull. 
U.S. Geol. Surv. i. p. 145. 
Although amongst the fiercest and most powerful of Birds of Prey and resembling 
in appearance the true Eagles, the Harpy is, from the structure of its feet, a gigantic 
Buzzard, having the hinder part of the tarsus plated instead of reticulated. It is more 
heavily built than Morphnus; the tail, too, is shorter, being only about three-fourths 
the length of the wing. ‘The foot is strong and massive; the tarsus comparatively short 
and Aquiline, less than twice the length of the middle toe. On the centre of the nape 
of the neck is a long crest of broad feathers, accompanied by a well-developed frill, 
which the bird elevates when enraged. 
1. Thrasaetus harpyia. 
Vultur harpyia, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 1217. 
Thrasaetus harpyia, Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 2157; P. Z. S. 1864, p. 368°; Lawr. Ann. 
Lyc. N. Y. vi. p. 461*; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p. 39°; v. Frantz. J. f. Orn. 1869, 
p. 368°; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. i. p. 224"; Ridgw. Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv. ii. p. 145°; 
Boucard, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 44°; Sumichrast, La Nat. v. p. 236%; Cherrie, Auk, 1892, 
p- 328"; Bendire, Life Hist. N. Amer. Birds, i. p- 270°; Sharpe, Hand-l. Birds, i. p. 259”. 
Falco destructor, Daud. Traité, ii. p. 60“. 
Harpyia destructor, Lawr. Ann. Lyc. N. Y. ix. p. 145”. 
Falco imperialis, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vii. p. 52, t. 15”. 
Harpyia imperialis, Sw. Phil. Mag. new ser. i. p. 366. 
Supra nigricans, tectricibus supracaudibus albo terminatis; capite toto et cervice schistaceis, plumis cristae 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Aves, Vol. III., January 1901. 12 
