THE BIRDS OF PBEY OF THE PUNJAB. 



641 



Measurements. 

 Distribution. 

 Habits, etc. 



The quills are dark brown or black at the end, with 

 greyish marking and mottling towards the base. The 

 tail is frequently barred and as often unbarred, almost 

 uniform light brown. 



To some extent these changes are due to age, but 

 on the other hand, the first year plumage shows consi- 

 derable variations and it is practically impossible to' 

 make any description of them intelligible, unless each 

 phase is to be described separately and in detail. 



Bill bluish gi-ey, tip black ; cere yellow ; irides hazel- 

 brown ; feet yellow or dirty greenish yellow. 



Length 25" to 28" ; tail 10" to 11" ; wing 18" to 20" ; 

 tarsus 2|" to 3"; expanse 5' to 6'. 



Throughout the Province, not common in the higher 

 Himalayas. 



This species is by far our commonest eagle and has 

 the distinction of belonging purely to the Indian 

 Empire. It breeds in the plains from November to 

 June, on trees, very often on quite low bushes, and is 

 said to lay usually 2 eggs, greyish white more or less 

 spotted or blotched, measm'ing 2 • 63 by 2 • 11. It closely 

 resembles the last species, in flight, colouration and 

 habits, but lacks the white bars which are a feature of 

 the Steppe Eagle. It lives to a large extent on garbage 

 and on w'hat it can rob from other birds of prey, notablv 

 the Common Pariah Kite, which frequently has to 

 give up its dinner. 



Great differences of opinion exist as to whether the 

 light or the dai'k is the nestling or first plumage. Mr. 

 Hume gives a very interesting account of the various 

 stages of plumage in which this bird bi'eeds, but miless 

 a series of these birds had been reared from the nest, 

 and kept until they had assumed their final adult 

 plumage, I do not know how one can possibly arrive 

 at what constitutes each phase. ]Mi-. Hume, for 

 instance, says : " The young one in the nest is yellow- 

 ish white, and the young of the first year are little 

 else but whity brown. In the second stage, early 

 in the second year, they become wood-brown and 

 in this stage are found breeding, although rarely ". 

 A specimen fomid in the nest by Mr. D. Dewar some 

 years ago, near Lahore and given by him to the Lahore 

 Zoo, was a very deep umber-brown throughout, the 

 head, breast and miderparts, except the vent which 

 was lighter, being all exactly the same colour, xm- 

 streaked and mimarked in any way. Two youngsters 

 fomid by me in Wazirabad, some years ago were both 

 a good deal lighter than the one fomid by ]Mr. Dewar, 

 but distinctly a uniform darkish bro^ai and could 

 by no means pass for "yellowish white" or whiti/ 

 brown. 



Whether the variations in the nestling and first 

 plumage are due to locality or to the season in which 

 they hatch out, it is not easy to say, but that they 

 do exist, and to an extraordinary degree, I do not 

 think there can be the least doubt. If then it be 



