NISAETUS PENNATUS 111 



Description. — Adult female, spring, from Spain. 



Forehead whitish, crown and nape fulvous, streaked with dark brown ; 

 upper parts dark earth brown, varied with creamy-buff on the scapulars and 

 rump ; tail dark earth-brown, slightly tipped with creamy-buff, and obscurely 

 barred on some of the feathers ; primaries black, becoming paler and slightly 

 barred on the basal portion of the inner webs ; secondaries dark earth- 

 brown, paler and barred on the inner webs ; underparts creamy-white, the 

 chin and throat thickly streaked with rufous-brown, and the breast less so. 



Bill slate, darker at tip ; cere and feet yellow. 



Total length 21 inches, wing 15--10, culmen 1-60, tarsus 2-40. 



Adult male, similar to the female but smaller. 



This small Eagle appears to be rare in Tunisia, and may possibly 

 only occur there on passage, as it is eminently a migratory bird. I 

 have but one example of the species from the Regency, and Blanc, 

 the naturalist, states that he has only obtained specimens of it once 

 or twice during the many years he has resided in the country. 

 Malherbe appears to have received examples of it from the neighbour- 

 hood of Bone, and Salvin met with the species when travelling in the 

 Eastern Atlas, and states that he saw it more than once about the 

 Djebel Dekma. 



Loche and Taczanowski both speak of the Booted Eagle as 

 occurring in Algeria, the former stating that although rare, the species 

 breeds in that country. In Marocco, according to Mr. C. F. Tyrwhitt 

 Drake, it has been seen on a few occasions at Tetuan and Tangier, 

 and Favier speaks of it as being both a migratory and a breeding 

 species in the vicinity of Tangier. In Spain the Booted Eagle 

 appears to be common during the summer season, and a regular 

 breeding species, though leaving that country in winter. Further east 

 in Europe, the species is said to be rare in some countries, but not 

 uncommon in others. 



In its habits N . pennatus somewhat resembles the Buzzards, chiefly 

 frequenting wooded districts, and feeding on small mammals and birds. 

 It is said to be far from shy, and when nesting, to be most devoted 

 to its mate and to its nestlings. Its note is a clear wailing cry. 



In captivity, according to Colonel Willoughby Verner, who, when 

 in Spain, brought up several of the young, this species is bold and 

 fearless at first, but when full grown becomes sulky and savage. 



