SIX months' bird collecting in EGYPT. I31 



The Short-toed Eagle is not uncommon nor very shy, 

 and I rather wonder that we never succeeded in kiUing 

 another. Shots were obtained at Gou-El-Kebeer and Edfou, 

 but were not so successful as they ought to have been ; but 

 I would particularise these as good places for them. Ac- 

 cording to Von Heuglin it is mainly a spring and autumn 

 migrant ; but I imagine it would be more correct to speak 

 of it as a resident, whose numbers are increased at those 

 seasons. I am quite confident that I saw some at the 

 Faioum* in June, and if I did not observe it in winter, others 

 have done so. 



■X-6. BONELLIS' Eagle, Nisaetus fasciatics (Vieill.). 



A fine female was shot on the 22nd of April at Bellianah. 

 It had been chasing pigeons, and was resting on a sand 

 bank. Weight 4^ lbs. Length 28 inches; expanse 60 

 inches. Eye, light hazel ; legs and cere, yellow ; beak, horn- 

 blue. It was the only specimen which we met with in our 

 travels. Canon Tristram has a specimen which was killed 

 somewhere above Cairo by Mr. Meddlycott. 



7. Booted Eagle, Aquila pennata (Gm.). 



On the 22nd of April — the same day we got Bonellis' 

 Eagle — two Booted Eagles were shot out of palm trees, 

 where they were apparently taking a nap after a meal upon 

 rats. On the 19th of May another was shot, and several 

 seen near Benisuef. Weight of a male i| lbs. Length 18 

 inches; expanse 13 inches. This is a small insignificant 

 bird for an Eagle. 



** The Faioum and Birket El Kairoun are the same place ; a lake 

 near Cairo in the fertile province of Faioum. 



