134 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



pletely away, or retiring to a distant tree to watch the 

 fate of its nest. 



Range of egg colouration and measurement : 

 The eggs of the Spotted Eagle are generally two in 

 number, very often only one, and very exceptionally as 

 many as three. The Seebohm collection contains a very 

 handsome series of these eggs from the collection of Dr. 

 Holland. They vary from grayish-white to creamy- 

 white in ground colour, blotched and spotted with 

 reddish-brown, brick-red, and rich dark blood-red, and 

 with underlying markings of pale purplish-brown. They 

 vary considerably in the amount and intensity of the 

 markings, some being very sparsely spotted, others richly 

 and boldly blotched, many of the patches being confluent, 

 either at the large or small end of the &^^^ where they 

 are also most numerous. A rare type has most of the 

 markings underlying ones and very large. Average 

 measurement, 2*5 inches in length by 2*i inches in 

 breadth. Incubation is performed chiefly by the female, 

 and is said to last three weeks. 



Diagnostic characters : The size is the best 

 character to distinguish the eggs of this Eagle, at least 

 as far as European species are concerned. The locality 

 too is of the greatest importance, otherwise they may be 

 confused with the eggs oi Aquila claiiga. 



