Birds of Matatiele, E. Griqualand. 51 



breeJing too'ether ami sometimes dark and lioht birds 

 breeding together, and further and further found nestlings 

 in the same nest, one of which was light-bieasted the other 

 dark. Ha also gives figures of a dark male and light female 

 together with their nest and two young, one of which has 

 dark feathers appearing, the other light. I have no copy of 

 Dresser's ' Birds of Europe ' to refer to, but I have three 

 plates from that beautiful book, in wliich this Eagle is 

 floured. In one of these a liojht-breasted adult is fio-ured, 

 together with a young bird with p:de rufous under parts 

 streaked with darker. Another plute shows two nestlings 

 in the nest, both are partially feathered, one being dark on 

 the breast, the other light, and an adult approaching in the 

 distance is apparently dark-breasted. 



My specimen had the breast dark brown with a rufous 

 tinge. The total length in the flesh 22|- inches. The eyes 

 dark brown, cere and feet wax-yellow, the bill bluish, tip 

 black. 



This species seems to have a liking for chickens, as a fine 

 adult 9 (light-breasted) shot by me in E. Pondoland, had 

 taken several of my chickens before I shot her. The present 

 specimen was also eviJently after chickens, when I first saw 

 it it was about 200 yards from the farmhouse and at a tre- 

 mendous height, circling round and round, while I was 

 watching it ; it suddenly closed its wings and dropped like 

 a stone, until about 12 feet from the ground, then it came 

 dashing straight towards the house, round which a number 

 of fowls were feeding, and would no doubt have had one if 

 I had not put an end to its hunting for ever. It was in 

 good condition, but the crop and stomach were quite empty, 

 wliich may account for its boldness. Anyone v.ho examines 

 this little Eagle in the flesh cannot help being struck by its 

 handsome colouring and powerful compact build, set off" by 

 the clean, game-like, head and neck, and the snow-white 

 scapular patches. 



4* 



