AQUILINE. 85 



from which, however, it differs in its long wings, and less feathered 

 and longer tarsus. It was, indeed, formerly placed by Gray in 

 Pontaetus, but is now ranged by that author in the sub-genus 

 Cuncuma, along with H. Macei. It is the type of Blyth's genus 

 Blagrus. 



This Sea Eagle is found over all India, but chiefly on the coast, 

 and for a short distance up some of the larger rivers. It lives 

 chiefly on sea snakes, also on fish, which it picks up on the beach, 

 or near the surface of the water, not diving for them. It also eats 

 rats, crabs, and anything living it can catch, and will eat dead 

 fish. It habitually preys on the osprey, pursuing it, and robbing it 

 of its well-earned food. The natives assert, but probably without 

 actual foundation, that when breeding, it makes a larder of fresh 

 boughs with leaves, to place the fish on, to keep them fresh. 



In Pigeon Island, 30 miles or so south of Honore, which is well 

 wooded with large forest trees, a whole colony of these birds have 

 their nests, at least thirty or forty of them ; and the ground below 

 their nests is strewed and whitened with bones of sea snakes 

 chiefly, and also of fish. They breed in December, January, 

 and February. 



This species extends through Burmah, Malayana, and the Islands 

 to Australia. It has usually been considered the same as Le 

 Blagre of Levaillant, Ois. d'Afrique, 1, pi. 4, but it appears from 

 late observations that the bird figured by Levaillant is probably 

 a young Hal. vocifer. 



Other well-known Sea Eagles are H. Alhicillus of Europe, 

 H. leucocephalus of North America, and North-east Asia, and H. 

 vocifer of Africa. Aquila indturina, of South Africa, has been made 

 the type of the genus Fterocetus. Aquila pelagica, Pallas, appears 

 to belong to the Sea eagles, and has been separated as Thalassoatus. 

 If it is found that this splendid bird ranges far inland, it may 

 have been the Eagle observed by Adams in the Himalayas, vide 

 page 27. An American form of Sea Eagle has been distinguished 

 as Geranoaetus, and Gray places the Helotarsus ecaudatus of South 

 Africa also among the Sea eagles ; but it appears to me to belong 

 more to the group of Serpent eagles, with vulturine tendencies. 



