312 FALCONID^ HALIAETUS 



frecklings and a terminal dark brown patch ; below white with 

 broad dark brown stripes on the breast and less defined brown 

 patches on the abdomen, thighs, and under tail-coverts. 



Iris very dark brown ; feet whitish-yellow. 



Distribution. — This Eagle is spread all over Africa south of the 

 Sahara, from Senegal and the Upper Nile southwards, where suit- 

 able conditions occur. 



In South Africa it is found along the coasts and extends up the 

 larger rivers, and is fairly abundant in most parts of the country 

 where such exist. It has not been met with, so far as I am aware, 

 near Cape Town. 



The following are localities : Cape Colony — Bredasdorp 

 (Layard), Knysna (Victorin and Marais), Port Alfred in Bathurst 

 and Sterkstroom (Grahamstown Mus.), Buffalo river (Rickard and 

 Wood), St. John's river (Shortridge), Orange river (Layard and 

 Bradshaw) ; Natal — Near Durban (Millar), Lidgetton (Fitzsimmons), 

 Ifafa and Pongola river in Zululand (Woodward) ; Transvaal — 

 Lehtaba river in Zoutspansberg (W. Ayres), Limpopo (Buckley), 

 near Potchefstroom (T. Ayres) ; Bechuanaland — Botletli river 

 (Audersson and Bryden) ; Ehodesia — Upper Zambesi (Kirk and 

 Holub), Bubye river (Millais) ; German south-west Africa — Oka- 

 vango river (Andersson). 



Habits. — This handsome bird is chiefly found along the coasts 

 of South Africa especially at inlets and river-mouths, where it finds 

 its prey. Hovering above the water or watching from a fixed post 

 it suddenly darts with a violent rush on its finny victim, and 

 grasping it with its powerful claws bears it away to devour at 

 leisure at its post, either a rock or a bare tree, below which can 

 often be found a considerable accumulation of fish bones and other 

 d&bris. 



Layard states that it occasionally carries off wounded ducks or 

 other wild fowl, while Ayres found it near Potchefstroom feeding on 

 carrion with the vultures and crows, though the Vaal river with 

 plenty of fish in it was not far off. It is a bold and powerful bird 

 and robs ospreys, pelicans and kites of their booty and also drives 

 away crows from carcases. The Sea Eagle has a very low and 

 piercing cry which can be heard at a great distance, sometimes 

 when circling high in the air, sometimes when perched, in which 

 case its head is seen to be thrown back and its throat swollen with 

 the great effort. 



Layard received an egg from a correspondent taken from a nest 



