238 Mr. J. H. Gurney's List of a Collection of Birds 



8. IIklotahsus ECAUDATU8 (Daud.). Short-tailed Bateleijr. 

 In the immature bird, the eye is brownish-yellow ; legs and 



feet dull white ; bill dull green, but black at the tip ; cere light 

 green. These birds feed upon carrion, appearing with the 

 Vultures ; they also prey upon moles. They settle in trees, and 

 erect the crest when wounded ; they are rare, and extremely shy. 



9. CiRCAETUs THORACicus (Cuv.). Black-brcasted Harrier- 

 Eagle. 



Not rare, but excessively wild, and generally soar about at a 

 great height, far out of shot. The stomach of the specimen sent 

 contained a chameleon and a green-headed lizard, both swallowed 

 whole ; it also feeds on snakes, both poisonous and innocuous. 

 Iris yellow. 



10. Spizaetus occipitalis (Daud.). Occipital Hawk-Eagle. 

 Common : feed entirely on field rats and mice, which they 



swallow whole ; watch from a tree for their prey. The crest is 

 always erected when the bird is stationary, but lies flat on the 

 head when it is flying. These birds on bright still days fre- 

 quently soar to a great height, wheeling round and round and 

 uttering their shrill cries; they are comparatively tame. Iris 

 yellow. 



11. Aquila NiEvioiDES (Cuv.). Tawny Eagle. 



Rare. Iris light brown ; feet and cere light yellow ; bill blue, 

 but black at the tip. The CafFres assert that these birds carry off 

 kids and the young of the antelopes ; they also feed on camon, 

 which I believe is their principal food. One specimen sent was 

 shot whilst chasing a hawk that was carrying off a fowl on which 

 it had pounced, and which the eagle appeared to covet. 



12. Haliaetus vocifer. Vociferous Sea-Eagle. 



Eye very light brown ; skin round the eye and nostril light 

 yellow; legs and feet dull white. These fine birds frequent the 

 bays and lakes along the coast, feeding principally on fish, which 

 they catch alive, by pouncing suddenly upon them when in 

 shallow water ; they then carry their prey to a tree to devour it, 

 holding it fast by one foot while they tear it in pieces. These 

 Eagles also capture ducks, or other wild fowl, that have been 



