70 Mr. E. L. Layard on South-African Ornithology. 



and counted seventeen eggs ! Taking two knapsacks, and de- 

 scending very nearly to the full length of both ropes, I found 

 myself on a vast shelf, along which I could almost run. On 

 this I got nine eggs, besides several more on smaller ledges, 

 which I could easily gain without the rope. I filled one knap- 

 sack, and was sadly put to it to get it up safely. I managed, 

 however, by fastening it to the rope and drawing it up by easy 

 stages, until I got it, together with other eggs gathered on the 

 way up, safely to the top. It was now too late to blow them ; 

 so I packed them as they were, and we started on our return 

 home, which we reached at 7 o'clock p.m.' 



" Thirty-four were obtained on this occasion; but three of the 

 unblown ones got broken on the way back, and of the remainder 

 I forwarded twenty-eight to the South- African Museum." 



11. Aquila senegalla. Breeds in June. Eggs have been 

 received from Mr. Jackson, Mr. Ortlepp, and ray son ; they are 

 of a rounded-oval shape, white, and more or less spotted and 

 blotched with dark red spots. Axis 2*75 in,; diam. 2"084. 



Mr. Ortlepp writes : — " A few weeks ago, a pair darted down 

 on a flock of merino ewes and lambs, and only flew off after 

 having despatched forty of the latter ! At the time this hap- 

 pened, the sheep were in charge of a small bush-boy, in a se- 

 cluded kloof, far away from the homestead. They quite disre- 

 garded the boy, and were only put to flight when the unfortu- 

 nate owner made his appearance with a gun." This is a most 

 unusual occurrence : a single lamb is often killed by them, and 

 devoured; but what occasioned this lust for slaughter exceeds 

 my comprehension. 



13. Aquila verreauxi. Messrs. Jackson and Ortlepp have 

 both sent eggs of this fine Eagle ; the latter writes : — " These 

 birds lay about the beginning of July*, on ledges of steep pre- 

 cipices, though not always, as I have heard of their nests in 

 taijbos-bushes [Rhus lucida, Linn.] along the Zeekoe River. 

 Eggs two. For some time after leaving the shell, the young 

 birds are quite white, more like balls of swans' down than 

 birds." The Museum now has five fine eggs of this bird. 



* Jiuie iu some places.— E. L. L. 



