1008 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVI. 



In all the above genera, except Astur and Accipiter no mention has 

 been made of the distance that the tips of the primaries, in the closed 

 wing, fall short of the end of the tail, as they comprise all comparatively 

 " long winged species" in which the wing fall short of the tail by a matter 

 of 2 to 3" in some species, and reach to the end of the tail in others, so it 

 would only be confusing to mention the fact in the keys, except in the 

 case of the true hawks where the difference is very marked and the wing 

 reaches to only about half way down the tail. These two Astur and 

 Accipiter) can thus at once be separated from any members of the re- 

 maining 6 genera, of this Type. The very thin tarsi and long middle toe 

 of Accipiter is enough to separate it from Astur, but it is not easy to define 

 what constitutes a ''thin" tarsus or "long" middle toe, unless there is 

 something to compare with. For this reason the comparison is made 

 between the length of middle toe as compared with the distance from bill 

 to gape, in each genera. 



The other six genera are very easily identified one from the other. 

 Circaetus, Spilornis, Haliaetus and Rolioaetus are represented by species of 

 birds all as big and bigger than kites, so cannot be confused with Harriers 

 or the White-eyed Buzzard-Eagle {Circus or Butastur) which are all smaller 

 than any kite. From each other they can be identified thus: — 



1. Circaetus .. ) Tarsi naked except the ( 1. 



2. Spilornis . . ) upper extremity only. | 2. 



3. 

 4. 



Haliaetus 

 Poliou'etus 



::} 



Tarsi feathered for about ^ 4. 

 one-third of its length. 



No crest 



Broad nuchal crest. 

 Tarsi scutellate in 

 fro7it only; claws 

 grooved beneath. 



L 



Tarsi scutellate in 

 front and behind ; 

 claws rounded 



beneath. 



The remaining two genera Butastur and Circus can be recognised from 

 the preceding four, as already stated, by their smaller size, and from the 

 true hawks by their longer wings, and from each other also by their size, 

 as the wing of Butastur is about 11" while that of the smallest Harrier 

 would be about 13". The Harriers can further be distinguished by a rufi" 

 of light coloured feathers which extend round the back of their heads 

 from the throat, giving them rather an owl-like appearance. For further 

 details there are the "keys" given above. 



N.B. — I am rather diffident about placing Haliaetus albicilla, The 

 White-tailed Sea-Eagle in this Type. According to Hume, the 

 tarsus of a couple of specimens shot by him, were feathered, in 

 front, for three-fifths to five-eights of their total length, whereas 

 Blanford makes no such exception in the case of this species. 

 Unfortunately I have only handled one specimen and did not 

 notice its tarsi. 



Key lo THE Species. 



As for genus. 



As for genus. 



As for genus. 



Wing about 23, usually under 24". Tail with a 

 broad white band in the centre, in the adult plu- 

 mage, rounded, the outer tail feathers being about 

 1 inch shorter than the two middle ones. 



Larger, wing about 25 to 26". Tail, except at the 

 base, all white, wedge shaped, the outer rectrices 

 being about 2 inches shorter than the middle ones. 



Circaetus gallicus. 

 Spilornis cheela. 

 Butastur teesa. 

 Haliaetus leucoryphus. 



Haliaetus albicilla. 



