Dr. J. Kirk on the Birds of the Zambesi Region. 315 



Fam. FALCONID^. 



3. Haliaetus vociFER. Native name, " Nkwazi." 



On the lakes and rivers; common among the mangrove- 

 creeks of the coast ; on the Zambesi, above the great falls, and 

 on Lake Nyassa, — in fact, wherever the forest comes down to 

 the shore, or high rocks overhang it. 



When in search of prey, it may be seen soaring over the 

 water, and making a sudden plunge, for a moment being beneath 

 the surface. On securing a fish (which it does with its talons), 

 it flies off to some sand-bank to devour it ; or, if the fish be too 

 strong, it will spread out its wings and be dragged along for 

 some distance, landing at the first convenient spot. 



Should an opportunity occur of robbing other birds, the Fish 

 Eagle is always ready to do this. Thus it will force the Common 

 Kite to give up a fish, and catch it before it reaches the water. 

 In this it succeeds only after a long chase ; for the Kite is a 

 swift flier. In like manner it will take a fish from the Pelican^s 

 pouch, as witnessed by Livingstone. 



This bird builds in high trees near the water. The nests are 

 very commion near the precipitous shores of the Nyassa. 



4. Helotarsus ecaudatus. Native name, " Chapungo." 

 Frequent in the marshy lands of the river Shire ; in other 



parts far from common, but met with in all the river-valleys. 

 Known when soaring by the short tail. Its food consists of 

 small animals — snakes and lizards; but it will also eat carrion. 

 Of this we had an instance when, having set a poisoned bait for 

 a Spotted Hyena which had annoyed us, it was vomited, partly 

 on account of the excessive dose, and also from the animal 

 having devoured the limbs of a woman previously. In the 

 morning, on taking up the spoor, we found the Hyena in dense 

 reeds, recovering from the poison, and killed it. During the 

 day, one of these Eagles was seen to alight where the food had 

 been vomited, and, on being followed up some time after, was 

 found in an intoxicated state, brought on board and killed, and 

 the meat found in its stomach. 



5. Spizaetus occipitalis (Daud.). 



Frequents the neighbourhood of rivers, feeding, not on fish, 



