THE BIRDS OF PREY OF THE FUNJAB. 



651 



2. 'S'. limnaetus, shorter wiugs, short crest, iricles usually some shade of 

 yellow (gray iu a very young bird), tarsus not feathered 

 to the base of the middle toe, i. o. the feathering stops 

 just short of the division of the toes. 



•3. H. nepalensis, wings and eyes as in limnaiihis, crest conspicuous and 

 about 3 inches in length ; tarsus feathered to the base 



of the toes. 



Tyte D. 



Family FALCONID^. 



Subfamily FALCONING. 



Colouration. 



Genus Spizaetus. 



No. 1213. Spizaetus nepalensis, The Hodgson's Hawk-Eagle. 



Characteristics. Primaries excetding secondaries by less than length 



of tarsus ; claws much curved, hird claw longest ; tip 

 of primaries in closed wing falling very far short of 

 end of tail ; feathering of tarsus extends to the division 

 of toes ; a prominent crest 3'" to 4" in length. 



Upper surface varying from dark to light browii, 

 darkest on the scapulars. Top of head and crest 

 black, the latter tipped white except in very old birds 

 when the white tip is lost. Lower surface much 

 lighter than the upper, varying from fawn to white 

 with dark markings on the feathers. The under- 

 surface of the open wing is pale grey much barred, 

 as also the midersvu-face of the tail. 



The breast and underparts vary, according to 

 age from pale fawn throughout, with darker shaft 

 stripes in some birds, to pure white with black spots 

 to each feather, in others. The crest feathers are 

 black, tipped with white, but in some old birds, the 

 white tip is wanting. Blanford, in his description of 

 the Crested-Hawk-Eagle, mentions this peculiarity, 

 but omits it in the description of this species. 



Bill black; cere blackish; irides yellow, orange 

 in very old birds, and pale greyish yellow in very 

 young ones ; feet pale dirty yellow. 



Length 27.5" to 29"; tail 12 J" to 13^"; wing 17" to 

 181"; tarsus 4". 



This fine Eagle is well distributed throughout 

 the Prmjab Himalayas, extending from Kashmir to 

 the borders of the United Provinces, though it appears 

 to be more partial to certain localities than to others. 

 Comparatively common in Bhadarwa and Chamba, 

 it appears to skip the ranges intervening between 

 Dharmsala and Kulu and appears again in the Kulu 

 valley. Rare again in the Sutlej valley, where I only 

 saw it twice in some 8 years, to reappear in fair numbers 

 in the Jubal and Taroche States. 



Measurements. 

 Hahitf<, etc. 



