132 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



8. Greater Spotted Eagle, Aquila clanga (Pallas) ; 

 Aquila vittata (Hodgson); A. ncevia, part. 



We did not see on an average more than one or two a 

 week, and none that I remember after April. Most writers 

 agree that it is only a winter visitant. A pair frequented the 

 lake at Rackaba, in company with numerous Marsh Harriers. 

 On the 29th of January, Monsieur Filliponi and I were poled 

 about among the reeds which fringe that lake, and he made 

 a very long shot at one of them and brought it down. It was 

 only winged, and we tried killing it with eati-dc-luce, but I 

 do not recommend either this or ammonia; though prussic 

 acid might do. I believe simple pressure on the breast with 

 the thumbs, or with the knee in case of large specimens, is 

 the speediest way of killing wounded birds. Mr. S. Bligh 

 says a good plan is to tightly press the thumb on the 

 trachea just by the roots of the tongue. (See, Ceylon Branch 

 of R. A. Soc, trans.) It had a beautiful gloss, which I have 

 noticed upon the plumage of other specimens : also on the 

 Osprey shot at Mershoom, v/hich was a freshly-moulted 

 female. This Eagle was in the immature spotted plumage. 



9. Imperial Eagle, Aquila mogilnik (Gmel). 



In the Institute at Alexandria there is a dust-covered 

 and most dilapidated Eagle, which I believe is of this species. 

 That some of the Eagles we saw in the Delta were also the 

 Imperial I have no doubt; but they are not much addicted 

 to the society of man, and we did not get a chance of form- 

 ing a near acquaintance with any of them. 



10. Osprey, Pandion halicBetus (Linn.). 

 " Mansouri " i.e. Conqueror. 



We frequently saw Ospreys on the sand banks — single 

 birds, often in the vicinity of Herons or Gulls. Rifle shots 



