286 



NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



extends northward into central Europe, and eastward into India. It is plainly but 

 prettily marked, the under parts being mostly white, profusely spotted with brown, while 

 the upper parts are pretty uniform dark brown. It feeds almost exclusively on reptiles, 

 particularly frogs, lizards, and snakes. Canon Tristram, in writing of this bird, says : 

 "They will often dash down to the field below, sweep for a few minutes like a 

 harrier, and then, seizing one of the great black ground snakes or a Tropidonotus in 



FIG. 134. Morphnus yuianensis, Guiana eagle. 



a ditch, sit down and occupy some minutes in killing the reptile, after which they 

 carry their prize away in their claws, not, like many other eagles, devouring it on the 

 spot." 



There are several other species of this genus, all crestless or only slightly crested, 

 while as many more with conspicuous crests have been separated under the generic 

 name of Spilornis. Members of both genera might properly be called short-toed 

 eagles, and all seem to have rather similar reptile-feeding habits, with a preference for 

 snakes. 



