644 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVI. 



No. 1207 



Characteristics. 



Colouration. 



Dimensions, 

 Distribution. 



This eagle breeds on trees in India, from April to 

 June and is said to lay a single greyish-white egg, 

 profusely spotted and blotched with yellowish brown, 

 measuring about 2*65 by 1*98. 



Type D. 



Family FALCONID^. 



Sub-Family FALCONiNiE. 



Genus Hiercetus (2 species). 



Hieraetus fasciatus, The Bonelli's Eagle. 



Wings not reaching to within a couple of inches 

 of tip of tail; primaries exceeding secondaries bv 

 more than length of tarsus ; claws much curved, hind 

 claw longest. 



In the adult plumage. Forehead and top of head 

 a rich brown. The lores whitish. White streaks and 

 spots visible on the head, being the bases of the 

 feathers showing through. The back of the head sho^^' 

 traces of white edges. The neck, behind, and upper 

 back, scapulars, wing coverts a rich deep brown, the 

 primaries and secondaries being almost black. The 

 whole of the upper parts, including the rump and tail 

 coverts are dark to very dark brown, with white bases 

 of feathers showing through here and there. The 

 actual shades of brown vary in individuals from a deep 

 grey brown to pm'e brown or sometimes blackish brown, 

 depending on age. Tail feathers are a dull gi-ey 

 brown, mottled with lighter grey and forming irregular 

 bars. The central feathers as a rule pure brownish 

 grey, unmottled. 



The whole of the underparts, with the exception 

 of the thighs, tarsi, under tail coverts, and wing lining 

 pure white, with a narrow line of brown on either 

 side of the shaft of each feather. The extent of these 

 brown lines also depend on age, being broader on 

 younger birds. The thigh coverts brown, indistinctly 

 spotted with white and the tarsus irregularly inter- 

 mixed with brown and white. Under tail coverts 

 sandy brown, with whitish irregular bands. The wing 

 lining brown but not so rich brown as on the back, 

 and with spots and blotches of white, especially on 

 the lower wing coverts. 



Yomig birds vary greatly from the first to the 

 adult plumage, being lighter on the upper parts and 

 reddish brown beneath with darker shaft stripes and 

 vary from a deeji rufous bufi to a light reddish brown. 



Bill bluish grey, tipped black ; cere and gape yello- 

 wish ; irides pale brownish yellow, rarely bright 

 yellow ; feet pale dingy w'hitish brown with a yeUow'ish 

 tinge. (Hume. ) 



Length 26 to 29"; wing 19 to 20"; tail 10 to 12^" ; 

 tarsus 3|" to 4" : expanse 5 to nearly 6 feet. 



Practically throughout the Province, but not as 

 cending to very high altitudes. 



