Ml'. R. B. Sharpe's Catalogue of Accipitres. 425 



caligatus (the Spizaetus limnaetusoi Mr. Sharpens Catalogue), 

 which is also usually, though not invariably, a crestless species, 

 or with the crest but very slightly developed"^. 



This Hawk -Eagle occurs under two very distinct phases 

 of plumage, if, indeed, both be really referable to one species : 

 these are the white- or pale-fulvous-headed and white -breasted 

 phase figured at ph 127 of TemmincVs ' Planches Coloriees,' 

 under the name of Falco niveus, and the fuliginous or melan- 

 istic phase figured at pi. 134 of the same work, and also on 

 pi. 36 of Horsfield^s ' Zoological Researches in Java ' under 

 that of Falco limnaetus ; besides which, specimens occur appa- 

 rently intermediate between these two extremes of coloration. 



All three of the above-mentioned phases are also figured 

 in SchlegeFs ' V alk- Vogels,^ in which very useful work the 

 pale-headed phase is represented on pi. 6. fig. 2, from Floresf, 

 and on pi. 8. fig. 2, from Java ; the intermediate on pi. 6. fig. 3, 

 from Java, and on pi. 7. fig. 1, from Borneo ; and the wholly 

 fuliginous on pi. 8. fig. 1, from Java. 



Mr. Sharpe describes the latter phase as the adult plumage 

 of the species ; but it appears to be certain that it is sometimes 

 assumed from the nest : one of the figures in SchlegeFs ' Valk- 

 Vogels' (pi. 8. fig. 3) represents a nestling from Java in 

 which the fuliginous plumage is immediately succeeding the 

 down ; this is probably the same specimen which is thus de- 

 scribed in the 'Museum des Pays Pas^ (Astures, p. 11): — 

 " No. 30, tres-jeune individu retire du nid, revetu en partie 

 du duvet, en partie de plumes, le duvet blanc, les plumes d^un 

 brun-noir uniforme, Java.^' 



* I have never seen a specimen of either phase of colouring with a 

 crest exceeding an inch in length ; but instances of longer crests have been 

 recorded. 



t This is the only specimen I am acquainted with from any locality 

 east of Java; Professor Schlegel remarks respecting it (' Valk-Vogels/ 

 p. 55), "il ressemble en general a la variete a teintes claires de Java, mais 

 il a le blanc beaucoup plus pur, tandis que le bran du dos, des ailes, et de 

 la queue est beaucoup plus fence et presque noir." In the Supplementary 

 Catalogue of the Museum des Pays Bas (Accipitres, p. 57) the follow- 

 ing measurements are given of this specimen — "aile 16 ponces 3 lignes, 

 queue 11 pouces 3 lignes." 



