21 
SPOTTED EAGLE. 
Aquila nevia, GOULD. 
“  melanaétos, SAVIGNY. 
Falco nevius, TEMMINCK, 
Aquila—An Eagle. Nevus—A spot. 
Tue Spotted Eagle is an inhabitant of most parts of Europe, 
having been observed in France, Belgium, Italy, where among 
the Apennines it is very common; Germany, Sicily, and Russia; 
also in the northern districts of Africa, and in Asia, in India, 
in Siberia, the Bengal territory, Nepal, and near Calcutta. As 
in the case of the Griffon Vulture, only one example of this 
addition to our native Fauna, has, as yet, been obtained for 
preservation. It is singular, also, that the one in question 
occurred in the same neighbourhood as the other alluded to, 
namely, in the county of Cork. It was shot in the month of 
January, in the year 1845, in the act of devouring a rabbit, 
in a fallow field, on the estate of the Earl of Shannon, near 
Castle Martyr. Another individual in lighter plumage, no 
doubt its mate, was killed at the same place, about the same 
time, but unfortunately was not preserved: both had been 
observed for the two preceding months sweeping over the low 
grounds in the neighbourhood. It has been thought that very 
probably this species has been confounded in Ireland with the 
Golden Eagle, and that it may be indigenous there, both the 
specimens above mentioned having been in immature plumage. 
It has by some been asserted, that it is a common species in 
that country, and known by the name of the Silver Eagle. 
One is said to have been kept in captivity at Cahirciveen, and 
a pair are related to have bred regularly on the island of 
Valentia. 
Cuvier says, that it was formerly employed in falconry, but 
that being deficient in courage, it was only employed for taking 
the smaller kinds of game. It seems to form one of the con- 
necting links between the Eagles and the Buzzards, as I have 
in a previous article stated that the Sea Eagle seems, in like 
