2o8 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



The eggs are usually two in number, of a greyish white 

 colour with rusty brown spots. 



The head, neck, body below, as far as the middle of the 

 abdomen, white, with long narrow streaks of dark brown ; 

 the rest of the plumage is bright reddish chocolate, darkest 

 on the interscapulars and back ; the primaries are black. 



Total length, 21 inches, of which the tail takes up 6h 



Mace's Sea Eagle.— This species is pretty generally 

 distributed throughout India, but chiefly on the coast and 

 up the course of the large river.s, where it feeds principally 

 on water snakes, but also catches tish, for which it does not 

 dive, but of which it often robs fi.shing birds, such as the 

 osprey, gulls, etc. ; it also eats rats, crabs, and. in fact, any- 

 thing it can catch and swallow. The breeding sea.son 

 extends from December to February. 



Ceylon Eagle Hawk. — This bird is of a deep brown 

 colour on the upper surface of the body, especially on the 

 interscapulars and the crown of the head, in which latter 

 situation the feathers are almost black. 



PONDICHERRY VuLTURE. — This spccies is found in the 

 south-eastern parts of India principall3^ but not in great 

 numbers ; it is rare for more than two of them to be seen 

 in company. The general colour of the plumage is blackish 

 brown ; the bare parts of the head and neck have a tieshy 

 tint, and a tuft of soft downy white feathers spring from 

 the centre of the breast over the region of the crop. 



In total length, the Pondicherry vulture measures about 

 3 feet; its powers of flight are considerable, the large 

 broad wings reaching, when folded, nearly to the end of 

 the tail. 



Egyptian Vulture. — This bird properly forms part of 

 the African avifauna, but as it also penetrates into our 

 Indian Empire, as well as occasionally into Europe, it may 

 be described in the present place. 



