326 Hr. E. Symonds on Birds 



and most brilliant^ he looked very grand and handsome in 

 this position. 



My wife left home for about a month, and when she re- 

 turned the Eagle had forgotten her, and it was no longer 

 safe to go into his cage ; for on entering it he would slightly 

 erect his crest, open his wings, throwing his weight upon 

 one leg, and on attempting to touch him he would strike out 

 with one foot Avith great rapidity. 



Unfortunately the hot summer was too much for him, and 

 notwithstanding all my efforts in keeping his place cool and 

 in diminishing his supply of meat, he had a succession of 

 apoplectic fits, which increased in frequency till, much to my 

 regret, I had to put him out of his misery. 



The old birds are still about here, but I had no time to 

 look for their nest this year, and they did not use the old 

 one : they are most destructive to young lambs, which they 

 kill by coming down upon them with tremendous rapidity, 

 and striking the formidable hind claw into the lamb, they rip 

 it completely open, and then either eat it or carry it away ; 

 they are very difficult birds to get at to shoot, but the farmers 

 sometimes manage to poison them, and say that strychnine 

 is very fatal to them in very small doses. 



5. BuTEO DESERTORUM (Daud.). Dcscrt Buzzard. 



This Buzzard is not uncommon about Kroonstad, but I 

 have never noticed it during our winter months ; it is said to 

 be very destructive to chickens. 



6. TiNNUNcuLus RUPicoLA (Daud.). Lesser South- African 

 Kestrel. 



These Kestrels are plentiful here ; a pair have built yearly 

 for the last four or five years in an inaccessible situation on 

 the Dutch church in Kroonstad. 



7. TiNiXUNCULUs RUPicoLoiDEs (Smith). Greater South- 

 African Kestrel. 



The specimen sent is the only one I have shot here, and I 

 have but very seldom noticed any others. 



