observed in the Ionian Islands, &;c. 5 



linger in their neighbourhood. I have seen them drive away 

 Vultures, Imperial and Spotted Eagles, Ravens, Crows, and even a 

 Peregrine Falcon. They are at once distinguishable from every 

 other species of Eagle with which I am acquainted by their 

 falcon-like swoop, square-cut tail, and very shrill and piercing 

 scream. I have been lying in wait in a thick reed-bed, watch- 

 ing the flocks of divers species of ducks, coots, and other water- 

 birds which enliven the Albanian lakes and marshes, and have 

 often remarked that whilst the said wild-fowl would take no 

 notice whatever of the numerous Marsh- Harriers which are per- 

 petually hanging about the skirts of the lakes, and would merely 

 lift their heads and utter a warning quack on the appearance of 

 a Spotted Eagle, — immediately that one of these eagle-teasers (as 

 we nicknamed the present species) was visible, the coots would 

 rise and scutter into the reeds, the necks of the ducks would 

 be extended flat along the surface of the water, and the inces- 

 sant screaming of the waterhens and rails be hushed till the 

 tyrant had passed over. I have twice seen this species settle 

 upon and begin to devour mallards which I had wounded, and 

 which flew to some distance before falling dead, but I never suc- 

 ceeded in getthig a shot at the robbers. I have observed this spe- 

 cies near Butrinto, as before mentioned, at Livitazza, at the mouth 

 of the Kalamas, and at Phanari at the mouth of the Acheron. I 

 always observed it in pairs and haunting rocks near the marshes, 



9. White-tailed Eagle. {Haliaetus albicilla.) 

 This species is often to be seen, though not abundant, in Epirus 

 and Acarnania. A pair were almost always to be observed about 

 the Bay of Butrinto in the autumn and winter. I watched a pair 

 in February 1858 soaring and playing at a great height near the 

 mouth of the Achelous on the mainland of Greece, about twenty 

 miles east from the island of Ithaca. My Greek servant took two 

 eggs of this species from a nest situate in the top of an old ash- 

 tree in a wood on the banks of the Luro river, which runs into 

 the Gulf of Arta, near the ruins of Nicopolis, and not far from 

 the town of Prevesa: this was on the 17th of March, 1857. 

 The old birds were very bold, and often came within gunshot of 

 us ; but I would not fire at them, as I did not want a specimen, 



