(Hate 96 
(35) LIMNAETUS CRISTATELUS, Crested Hawk-Eagle, would perhaps 
be the best species of this interesting group to better our acquain- 
tance with, for various excellent reasons, chiefly as these birds are 
more frequently seen in Darjeeling than Nisaétus Bonelli (33) erest- 
less Hawk-eagle or the next two Nipalensis and Rufous bellied 
species, which are rare in the district. Cvistatellus represents a good 
group of fine eagles with short roundish wings ; bill is prominently 
festooned ; head (in this case) with a fine crest, which flutters in 
the breeze, giving the bird a daring, chief-like appearance. In 
Darjeeling this prominent crest helps, one, not a little to distin- 
guish this species, together with the fulvescent or yellowish brown 
colour associated with this bird ; upper plumage is glossy brown ; 
back and tertiary feathers black ; the distinctly banded wings and 
tail feathers cannot be mistaken when observed usually in the act 
of settling on a tree, more so the fine tail opened out lke a fan, 
together with these markings, the dark streaks and mottling of 
white and brown are to be observed. I have a well marked Crista- 
tellus before me, at the present moment. You must remember that 
allowances have to be made for variations of shades of colour ete. 
according to age of the bird, and season of the year. This eagle is 
about 25 ins. in length, female 29 ins. ; irides, cere and feet yellow ; 
head and neck are dull yellowish brown, with dark streaks ; breast is 
white and streaked. This species used to build on Birch hill, on the 
oldest, tall trees, it has forsaken this locality, and builds on large 
inaccessable trees, in Ghoom forest, usually, on the lower outskirts 
where I observed a nest two years ago. This nest was quite secure 
from intruders, as it would take the boldest climber all his time, 
daring and_ skill, to get to ten yards of the nest, should he be lucky 
enough to escape the bold dashes of the birds at him, which they 
do in a fierce unrelenting manner. This I observed, when several 
attempts were made to reach the nest, to secure a young partially 
fledged bird. These eagles are particularly destructive to poultry 
and can with ease carry off a full sized rooster, in spite of its 
formidable spurs. 
(iv) SERPENT EAGLES 
have the tarsi bare (unfeathered). These eagles are seldom seen 
in the district near Darjeeling and the same could be said of the 
fishing eagles, though most of them can be met with about our big 
rivers, Runjeet and Teesta. The former, have well hooked, short, 
curved bills, compressed sides; wings, tail and tarsus long ; feet 
and claws short. These eagles are frequently met with in the plains, 
usually beside forests and jungle lands. The latter, the fishing 
eagles, differ from the former by their longer wings, which reach 
beyond the tail, also their outer toes are versatile and long ; soles 
of the feet have sharp scales. These we might say are the most 
