96 THE FARMERS FOES 



Valley. We append a photograph of the nest and the 

 adventurous method of taking the eggs. We have also 

 much pleasure in reproducing a photograph of Dr. Stark, 

 taken in company with Messrs. Ivy and Pym. Messrs. 

 Stark and Ivy are each holding an egg of the eagle. When 

 these eggs were taken a freshly-killed Blue Buck ram was 

 lying in the nest. On one occasion fifty-eight skulls were 

 counted on the ground beneath the nest, comprising Blue 

 Buck, Bhebok, Stembuck and Bock Babbit. During recent 

 years the birds seldom drop bones below the nest. 



This pair of Eagles generally raise four young each season, 

 the young birds keeping in company with the parents until 

 the warm months. On one occasion the female was shot, 

 but the male found another mate within a couple of weeks, 

 and reared a brood shortly afterwards. 



The Crested Hawk-Eagle (Lojphoceius occipitalis) is of a 

 very dark brown colour, and possesses a long crest of eight 

 to ten narrow feathers about 5 inches in length. Bird, 28 

 to 24 inches. This bird has been recorded from George, in 

 the Cape Province northwards to the Zambesi. Like the 

 Crowned Hawk-Eagle, it inhabits bush country, but unlike 

 it, is of a harmless disposition, living principally on reptiles, 

 frogs, and small rodents, such as rats. 



The Bateleur (Heloiarsus ecaudatus) is another bird which 

 should not find a place in this chapter, but as we have 

 included most of the eagles here, we also insert the Bateleur. 

 This species — called by the Boers the Berghaan — is a 

 handsome crested bird of a black colour, with the centre 

 of the back and tail rich maroon-chestnut. The plumage of 

 the young is dull brown. The full change from the juvenile to 

 the adult stage takes from four to six years in captivity, but 

 would probably not exceed four years in the wild state. It is 



