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of the same stage, as between those of different stages. The 
bills are longer, broader, or higher, nostrils larger, or rounder, 
feet more powerful, claws more curved, or the reverse ; but of 
each such variation, as many examples are found in the speci- 
mens of any one stage, as of any other; and hence my difficulty 
in believing that these are not all one and the same species. 
I may add, that in each stage I have males and females in 
precisely similar plumage, and that I am unable to discover 
any constant difference, except that of size, between the sexes. 
Radde, in Vol. IL. of his travels in South East Siberia, 
(page 81,) seems to have got hold of very erroneous notions 
about this species. He says ‘According to S’ewerzoff’s inves- 
tigations, the white scapulars ought to appear after the first 
moult, in the females of this species, while in the males, these 
are not assumed until after the second moult; and then he 
goes on to say, referring to an Orenburgh specimen, (which he 
takes to be in first plumage, changing to second ; but which I 
gather to be really third changing to fourth) exhibiting one 
white scapular feather, that this decidedly confirms S’ewerzofl’s 
views and contradicts Nauman Junior’s statements ; who holds 
that the adult plumage is usually not assumed till the fourth 
moult in the bird’s sixth year. 
I had never seen Radde’s work, when I wrote the above 
descriptions of the four stages; but it will be seen, that accor- 
ding to my own original observations, Nauman Junior is right, 
and Radde and his friend S’ewerzoff altogether wrong, so far 
as our Indian race is concerned. But here the question arises, 
is the Indian bird really identical with that of the South of 
Kurope, North Africa, Palestine, and the Caucasus ? 
In the case of A. Nevioides, and A. Fulvescens one distin- 
guishing feature is said to be, that the changes of plumage are 
much greater and more numerous in the latter, than in the 
former; can any similar difference exist between the Huropean 
and Asiatic race of the “ Konigadler,”’ as Radde designates it ? 
Radde and Eversmann I see, (as 1 have myself noticed) 
correctly point out, that the number of the transverse scute on 
the ends of the toes is variable, and affords no real specific 
character. 
Radde further infers that while A. Chrysetus avoids the 
treeless steppes, preferring the wooded country, A. Imperialis is 
of extreme rarity in the forest-clad hills, which the former 
affects. It is doubtful whether this distinction generally holds 
ood. 
The following are the results of a large number of measure- 
ments recorded from freshly killed specimens :— 
