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bird in which (except three in which the tails are terribly 
abraded and bleached), shows unmistakable barrings on the 
centre tail feathers. Besides this, the difference in the texture 
of the plumage, (that of Mulvescens being comparatively stiff, 
harsh, and thin, that of Nevia, soft, silky, and dense) in the 
strength of the bills, feet and legs, and in the shape of the 
nostrils, suffice to separate these two species conclusively. Both 
go through, it is true, not very dissimilar changes of plumage, 
and individuals of both races may be found so similar in gene- 
ral appearance, that even good figures of them might wholly 
fail to prove them different, but a mere glance at the tails, the 
first touch almost of the plumage, or a comparison of the bills, 
nostrils and feet (supposing the sexes to be known) would 
unmistakably show how distinct they were. 
Nevia, with us, at any rate, is a bird frequenting moist 
localities. Where large jheels abound, or where canal irrigation 
is extensively resorted to, there Vevia (in upper India at any 
rate) is very common, but in the dry sandy plains, which 
occupy so vast a portion of the surface of Continental India, 
this species is extremely rare. 
A remarkable fact as to change of geographic distribution, 
resulting from modification of the physical aspect of a country 
by human industry, came under my own notice in connection with 
this species. The Etawah District between Cawnpore and Agra, 
belonged essentially to the dry sandy class. For years I shot 
through this district without ever obtaining a single specimen of 
the Spotted Eagle. After a time the Ganges Canal, with innu- 
merable, minor channels was opened out through the district. 
Huge tracts came under irrigation. A year or two passed 
away, when suddenly one day, shooting with Mr. Brookes, 
along the canal, we found the Spotted Eagle common. Subse- 
quently, numerous specimens were obtained at various localities 
in the district in the neighbourhood of the canal. I thought 
I might possibly have overlooked this species in past years; but 
this seemed unlikely, because winter and summer I daily had 
one or two men out shooting, and even had I always passed it 
over, one or other of them must have killed it. However, this 
matter was set at rest, by several Aheriahs, (native hunters and 
bird-catchers by caste), spontaneously pointing out this bird to 
me, as having only appeared in the district during the last two 
years. ‘This species has always been plentiful in the Dhoon 
and the northern portion of the Suharunpoor District, in which 
the Ganges Canal has its origin, and there can be little doubt 
that as the canal, year by year, was opened out further and 
further, developing tracts suited to their tastes, the Spotted 
