66 Messrs. H. J. Elwes and T. E. Buckley 



does not breed ; while in Stamboul it builds on the cypresses, 

 mosques, and roofs of the tanneries, where it is never molested 

 by the Mussulmans, and repays its hospitable treatment by car- 

 rying off the garbage in the streets. 



The young birds leave the country as soon as they are able to 

 fly, and do not return until they have acquired the adult plu- 

 mage, which is probably not until they are two years old. 



5. Aqutla chrysaetus (L.). Golden Eagle. 



So far as our experience goes, the Golden is by no means so 

 common as the Imperial Eagle; and we never obtained a speci- 

 men or found a nest. It occurs, however, in most parts of the 

 country, as is testified by Col. Drummond-Hay, Mr. Farman, 

 and others, and probably is more numerous in the mountain- 

 districts. 



6. Aquila HELiACA (Savigny). Imperial Eagle. 



This eagle is surprisingly common both in Macedonia and 

 in Bulgaria, and is essentially a lover of the plains, where it may 

 be seen hunting for food in the manner of a Buzzard or pei-cheil 

 on a solitary tree. Hardly a day was passed when travelling 

 over the great plains without finding some nests of this bird, 

 which were often quite close to a well-frequented road. Many 

 a hard and unsuccessful climb they gave us in the early part of 

 the season, from their habit of sitting on the nest for several 

 weeks before laying ; and it was some time before we could re- 

 sist the temptation of going up when a magnificent Eagle quietly 

 sailed off within a few yards. 



For as long as six weeks this continued, and we began to 

 despair, till on the evening of April 2nd, when, at a Tartar vil- 

 lage where we were to sleep, a great Eagle flapped off a nest on 

 a stunted willow not a hundred yards from the house. One of 

 us was very soon up, and found a beautiful e^^ covered with 

 blotches of lilac and red, quite the finest we ever took. After 

 this we found them frequently in isolated trees or bushes in the 

 open country, only once in a wood. The nests are moderately 

 large and flat, well lined with wool and rubbish, and contain from 

 one to three eggs, which are usually much less marked and 

 blotched than those of the Golden Eagle. 



