Descriptive List of the Common Birds 



146. Aquila vindhiana : The Indian Tawny 

 Eagle. (F._i203), (J. 29), (+V.) 



In colouring this bird is very Hke the common 

 kite, but has not so long a tail ; and its legs are 

 feathered right down to the toe — this is the 

 sign-manual of all the true eagles. A bird that 

 looks Hke a kite with feathered legs is probably 

 a tawny eagle — the commonest eagle in India, 

 abundant everywhere save on the Malabar 

 coast. 



147. Butastur teesa : The White-eyed Buz- 

 zard. (F. 1220), (J. 48), (IV.) 



This bird of prey is about the size of the 

 common house crow. Eha writes, " A Buzzard's 

 idea of life is to sit upon a pole, or on top of a 

 small tree commanding a good expanse of grass 

 land, and to watch for a field mouse, or a lizard, 

 or even a fat grasshopper. If you see a biggish, 

 untidy hawk, of a sandy brown colour, more or 

 less dashed with whitish, spending the morning 

 in this way, you may put it down as Butastur 

 teesa r The sign-manual of this common bird 

 is its white eye, and if you cannot get near 

 enough to make this out with the aid of field 

 glasses, you may still identify this species by 

 the conspicuous white patch on the nape of 

 the neck. 



