22 FALCONTD^E. 



South-east of the countries of Europe first mentioned, 

 this Eagle appears to be very generally distributed in suitable 

 localities. It is not known from Sardinia, but occurs in 

 various parts of Italy, and breeds on the Appenines, as also 

 in Sicily, where Malherbe mentions an eyry containing two 

 Eaglets lying amid the bones of rabbits and reptiles ; but 

 that which created the greatest surprise was to find beneath 

 this great structure some nests of the Tree- Sparrow, con- 

 taining eggs and young, and that these little birds had no 

 dread in thus establishing themselves close to so formidable 

 an enemy. Mr. C. A. Wright says that it has occurred at 

 least once in Malta. 



In Turkey the Spotted Eagle is stated by Messrs. Elwes 

 and Buckley to be most abundant in the wooded plains of 

 Macedonia. In a series of interesting articles in the ' Revue 

 de Zoologie,' by MM. Alleon and Vian, on the migration of 

 birds-of-prey on the Bosphorus, these naturalists say that 

 it passes twice a year in numerous bands, but that it also 

 breeds in the lofty trees of the forest of Belgrade, near 

 Constantinople. In Bulgaria it is not uncommon, and is 

 most numerous near Devna and Pravid}^ " In its habits," 

 says Mr. C. Farman, " it strongly resembles the Buzzards, 

 generally flying low in pursuit of its prey, which, if belonging 

 to the feathered tribes, it strikes in the air;" and the same 

 gentleman saw a nest in an ash overhanging a stream, 

 which was warmly and softly lined with the blossoms of the 

 tree, and contained one young bird and two eggs. Further 

 to the north, Mr. Hudieston (Ibis, 1861, p. 368), in an 

 animated description of the down-country of the Dobrudscha, 

 says, that Aquila iKcvkt has its nest in the low blackthorn 

 bushes which dot the surface of the open plateau, or even 

 more generally on the ground itself. "I found, or was 

 directed to," he says, " no less than four, two of which were 

 on the ground, under the shelter of bushes ; two were on 

 the bare plain." 



Further to the east and north-east, it is not easy to trace 

 the exact limits of the Spotted Eagle's range, for the task is 

 complicated by the existence of a larger race or, in the eyes 



