AQITILA. 5 



The female is slightly larger and browner npon the upper sur- 

 face, the collar is not so well defined and the chin and clieeks are 

 mottled with brown. 



Hob. Port Essington to Derby and inland to Kimberly. 



This species undergoes the same stages of plumage as the eastern 

 and southern representative, A. appruximans. 



Male, ad. sk. Total length 13-5 inches ; wing 9-3 inches, tail 



7 inches ; bill from forehead 1 inch, from nostril 0-6 inch, fi-om 

 gape 0*9 inch ; tarsus 2-8 inch; mid toe (s.u.) 1-3 inch. 



Female, ad. sk. Total length 15 inches ; wing 10-5 inches ; tail 



8 inches ; bill from forehead I '05 inuh, from nostril 0-6 inch, from 

 gape 1 inch ; tai^sus 2-9 inches; mid toe (s.u.) I'G inch. 



AaUILA. 



Aquila audax. 



The Wedge-tailed Eagle. 



Kpstling, Reg. No. A. 18558. "Taken from the nest, al)Out two 

 or threi- days old. Eyes dark brown, feet whitish. Locality 

 Moolah, Interioi', N.S.VV., August 1883." Total length G inches; 

 l)ill from forehead 0*9 inch, from gape 0"95 inch ; tarsus 0*8 inch. 

 Eatii'ely covered with snow-white down, long on the thighs and 

 legs, longest upon the head and hind neck where the down is 

 erect and hairy. 



Kestl'mg, Reg. No. B. 6-431. "Taken from the nest near Moss- 

 giel, N.S.VV., September 12, 1884." About a fortnight old, uni- 

 formly covered with white dovvn, hairy in texture and longest on 

 the head and hind neck, very short on the inner side of the thighs 

 and under the wings. "Iris brown, bare place in front of the eyes 

 lead colour ; cere greenish-white ; bill horn colour, black at the 

 tip ; gape yellow ; feet white, claws light horn colour, dark at the 

 base." Total length 11 inches; wing 3 inches ; pin-feathers of the 

 primaries just beginning to show through the down; tarsus 1-3 

 inch ; bill from forehead 1'4 inch, from gape 1'5 inch. 



Remarks. "As a rule this bird nests in the early part of July, 

 and the young leave the nest about the end of November ; young 

 ones have been taken as early as the 10th of July, which were 

 apparently about a week old, such instances of early breeding 

 are however rare." (K.H.B ) 



Kestling, Reg. No. B. 10145. "Taken from the nest September 

 30th, 1884 ; about two months old ; eyes clear light brown, cere 

 grceaish-wliite ; bill, basal half horn colour, remainder black ; 

 feet white." Total length 21 inches; wing 10 inches; tail 4-3 

 inch ; tarsus 3"5 inch ; mid toe (s.u.) 2-5 ; bill from forehead 2*2 

 inch, from gape 2-3 inch. This specimen is covered with short 



