Ornithology of the Matopo District. 201 



the sides of the tarsi) ; feet black above, and yellow and 

 dirty orange below. Another one, observed on March 27, 

 had very similarly coloured legs. Sclater gives the soft 

 parts as: iris red; bill black; base, cere, and feet cin- 

 namon-red ; whilst the length is given as 12'25 inches ! 

 Both these birds were very tame and were evidently after 

 our chickens, but examples seen later in the hills were much 

 wilder. It is perhaps interesting to add that a third example, 

 collected by Mr. de Laessoe in the Bembesi district, and ex- 

 amined by me in the Rhodesia Museum, also has the legs 

 and feet black and yellow. 



52. X Spizaetus bellicosus. Martial Hawk-Eagle. 

 Eutolmaetus bellicosus (Daud.) ; Scl. iii. p. 301. 

 Not uncommon. 



53. Hieraaetus spilogaster. African Hawk-Eagle. 

 Eutolmaetus spilogaster (Bp.) ; Scl. iii. p. 299. 



This Hawk-Eagle is quite common within the hills, where 

 it is most frequently seen sitting on the top of some huge 

 boulder well up a kopje-side. In such situations its almost 

 immaculately pure white underparts, contrasting with the 

 sombre granite, make it very conspicuous. At dawn in 

 the nesting-season I have frequently noticed pairs ilying 

 strongly and steadily together just over the tree-tops, and, I 

 think, probably bound on some hunting expedition; at other 

 times they may be seen circling round and soaring high iu 

 the heavens. 



This Hawk-Eagle frequently attends sportsmen. I 

 remember once hearing guinea-fowl calling close to camp 

 early in the morning ; I went out after them, and ou my 

 approach, I noticed one of these Eagles perched at the top 

 of a large bare tree about 150 yards distant, and evidently 

 very much alive to the situation, as the guineafowls^ alarm- 

 notes testified. The " pot " being empty I took no chances, 

 and as the " matendele^' rose up into, a tree together, I gave 

 them both barrels and hit four. Proceeding to pick them 

 np I found two dead, and, after despatching the third, I 

 looked round for the remaining one^ but for some raoruents 



SER. X. VOL. III. V 



