164 
measurements, and descriptions taken from eleven fresh speci- 
mens of this species, but 1 wish first to premise that, accord- 
ing to my views, this Hagle has three well marked stages of 
plumage. 
1st. The buffy, or buffy fulvous. 
2nd. The purple brown, white spotted. 
3rd. The uniform deep brown stage. 
In all these stages, where the sexes have been ascertained, 
this species can at once be separated, by its much smaller size, 
from, A. Imperialis, while from A. Fulvescens, it may be dis- 
tinguished ; first, by its invariably barless tail; secondly by its 
more silky, and soft plumage, and thirdly by its rounder 
nostrils. 
The utmost confusion seems to prevail amongst some, at 
least, of the continental ornithologists as to this, and kindred 
species. adde, I find, boldly uniting A. Nevia, A. Nevioides, 
A. Clanga, A. Bifasciata, and A. Fulvescens. The best of it is, 
that the measurements and descriptions (such as they are) that 
he gives, clearly prove to me that with one exception, his 
supposed Nevias are all forms of A. Impertalis, more or less 
intermediate, (because killed in April and May) between the 
four stages described by me when dealing with that species. 
That Bifasciata is a form of Imperialis is I think certain. 
That Nevia is utterly distinct from Nevioides and Fulvescens 
is equally certain. 
That Fulvescens, Fusca, and Punctata, are one and the same, 
is beyond doubt; but whether these are, or are not, distinct 
from Nevioides is yet doubtful, though I incline to believe 
them so. 
That our common upper Indian Spotted Hagle is identical 
with that of western and southern Hurope, the true Vevia,. 
figured by Yarrel, the detailed dimensions and descriptions 
given further on, will, I believe, sufficiently establish. 
Whether A. Clanga is a true species, or whether Pallas like 
Radde, ignorant of the four-fold change of plumage in 
A. Imperialis, obtained specimens of this latter, between the Ist 
and 2nd, and 2nd and 3rd stages, and to these gave the name 
of Clanga, I cannot decide, but I am strongly disposed to think 
that this is the real origin of the supposed more robust form of 
A. Nevia. 
The absolutely unbarred tail, is at all ages, characteristic of 
the Spotted Eagle ; I can show a sequence of some forty odd 
birds, from the pale buff, to the deepest umber or liver brown, 
not one of which exhibits a trace of barring on the tail ; while 
per contra, I can show a still larger series of Fudvescens, every 
