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Eagles flying along the mountain-ridges. The breeding- 
season seemed to be just beginning, for, next day one of these 
eagles, while chasing another, flew so low over our caravan 
that I brought it down with small shot. 
10. Aquina PENNATA. Pygmy Eagle. 
In Africa I saw and shot a Pygmy Eagle of the quite dark, 
almost black variety. It was in the palm-groves near the 
town of Sohag, where, crowded on a few trees, large numbers 
of Crows, Ravens, Kites, Night-Herons, Falcons, and Pigeons 
assemble every evening for their night’s rest. It was dark, 
but still I could see that it was not a Kite. The bird was 
already fast asleep on the bottom branches of a low tamarisk. 
In Palestine I saw such numbers of Pygmy Eagles that I 
could not believe my eyes. They were on migration, and 
every day, in all parts of the country, one could see them 
flying in large flocks, often as many as sixty in loose order, 
but still following each other, I also several times noted the 
curious fact that this Hagle travels in company with the 
Stork, not merely following the huge flocks of those birds, 
but even mixing with them. Both hunt after reptiles and 
insects, and seek the best places for feeding during migration. 
In the Jordan valley we once saw a great many Pygmy 
Eagles perched on the low trees and bushes in company with 
the Short-toed Eagles. 
11. PANDION HALIAHTUS. Osprey. 
One sees this Eagle on the Nile every day, on the large 
lake of Birket-el-Karfin it is even very common. Ospreys 
flew round the shores of the island Bezire-Karfin the whole 
day long, and in the afternoon often as many as ten together 
sat resting for digestive purposes on the rocky coast, in com- 
pany with the flocks of Herons, Gulls, and Pelicans. It was 
also often observed on the lake of Menzaleh and along the 
