et) 
It is often observed perching on the land, on rocks and prominent 
places, where it gets a good sweep of the country around, for likely 
prey to feed on. In size, male is 30 in. and female about 35 in. 
wing-expanse of the latter about 73 feet. This eagle is dark glossy 
brown in colour; quills black ; tail grey with black bars, broadest 
at the tip; head and upper parts of the neck orange buff. 
(29) AQUILA FULVESCENS, Jawny Eagle. These eagles are oc- 
casionally met with, but they are usually found more plentiful on 
higher altitudes in the district or in Sikkim. In the plains it is 
commonly known as “ Uquab,” where it is met with below the 
sub-Himalayan tracts chiefly in winter. In Darjeeling and the dis- 
trict it prefers to get behind thick leafy trees, to be on the look out 
for a chance plunge at game-birds, and the homely domesticated 
fowls. At early dawn they are particularly active, after getting a 
good feed and perhaps a forty winks, they go off for a constitutional, 
sailing amongst the kites and vultures high up in the sky, where 
they may be seen circling with ease and grace ; size of the female is 
about 28 ins. wing extent about 5 ft. ; colour of the plumage, as the 
name implies is tawny brown ; blackish about the head ; hackles of 
the neck tipped pale brown; wings breast and under plumage 
greyish black ; tawny speckles on the breast, wings ete. ; two light 
coloured wing bars and the same on lower part of the tail. The cry 
of fulvescens is wild, eagle-like scream. 
(ii) KITE EAGLES 
(32) Neopus Mauayensis, Black Eagle, as compared with the 
last group; this bird has a smaller bill, not so strong, rounded and 
hooked at the tip ; festoon on the upper mandible is less prominent ; 
cere large ; wings very long ; toes short and claws small. In form 
generally not so robust as dquilae. This eagle is seldom met with 
in Darjeeling. It is more frequently seen at Tongloo, silently per- 
ched, in the evening on a dry stump of a tree, or at other times 
circling in the air, where it gracefully sails and soars above or more 
frequently is viewed in the gorge below you. By day, it seldom 
rests and seems never to tire on the wing. It has a bad habit of 
going for sickly and young birds generally. It seems to have no 
desire to get blown by a hot pursuit after birds strong on the wing 
or to risk an encounter when the odds are uncertain. Female 
malayensis is 30% ins. in length ; male 274 ins. The general appearance 
in colour, is brownish black; quills faintly barred with grey ; tail 
and its upper coverts barred white, below pale. 
iii) HAWK-EAGLES 
We shall pass on, now, to the more daring Hawk-Eagles. These 
are fine large birds with muscular legs, powerful feet and claws and 
a good strong serviceable tearing bill. 
