43G Mr. B. Alexander — An Ornithuloyical 



the sun on the naked houghs of deiid trees elose to the water 

 or on snags in mid strean), the predominant white of their 

 breasts betraying their presence a great distance oH'^ long 

 before their forms became visible to the naked eye. Of a 

 confiding nature, this Eagle allows of a close approach, 

 welcoming the traveller with a beautiful clear-noted cry, 

 which reveiberates through the deep and rocky places of the 

 river^s vicinity, and is uttered with swelling throat and head 

 well thrown back. When unnecessarily disturbed the cry 

 becomes almost painful, resembling that of a captured fowl. 



Regarding food, this bird is somewhat fastidious, often 

 catching a tish merely to drop it again, or to play with 

 it by tearing the body rapidly to pieces. When once the 

 fish is dropped, it is rarely picked up again. The native 

 knows this, and often watches the bird for the sake of the dis- 

 carded prey. On one occasion one of our boys ran to the spot 

 where a Fishing-Eagle was sitting, and brought back a good- 

 sized fish weighing nearly two pounds. With the ap[)roach 

 of the rainy season, when the river begins to rise, the number 

 of this species becomes greatly augmented, and more than 

 once we met with quite a flock of them, among which were 

 several in the immature brown plumage. 



During our short stay at Chinde, in July, the British 

 Consul gave us a magnificent adult which he had kept in 

 confinement for some lime. He was only too glad to get 

 rid of it, since its food cost him a good many fowls a week, 

 and although he had already released it, the bird refused 

 to leave its comfortable quarters for long, but returned again 

 the next day. The Consul told us that this Eagle was quite 

 as good as a watch-dog, for if any strangers approached the 

 house the bird immediately gave vent to vociferous cries. 



195. Helotarsus ecaudatus (Daud.). 



Adult S (Chicowa, Sept. 16, 1898). 



This Eagle now and again used to take bird's-eye views of 

 our camps, circling high overhead with a graceful flight, 

 the deep black of its under surface contrasting strongly with 

 the white of its under wings. 



