214 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie Grant on the 



In immature birds from the Philippines the shaft-stripes are 

 confined to the chest, the rest of the underparts being 

 uniform whitish buff; while in Indian birds of the same 

 age all the underparts have much narrower black shaft- 

 stripes. The plumage of the underparts in the most adult 

 Philippine bird most nearly resembles that of Pernis iweed- 

 dalii. It seems evident that the intricate changes of plumage 

 in these birds require more careful study, but the material 

 available is at present insufficient. 



5. PiTHECOPHAGA JEFFERYI. (Plate V.) 



Pithecophaga jejferyi, Grant, Bull. B. O. C. no. xl. p. xvii 

 (1896). 



The discovery of this mighty bird of prey is without doubt 

 the most remarkable of Mr. Whitehead's achievements in the 

 Philippine Islands. That so large a Raptor should have 

 remained unknown till the present time only shows how 

 easily these great Forest-Eagles may be overlooked. As an 

 instance of this, it is worth mentioning that during the 

 years Mr. Salvin spent collecting birds in Central America 

 he only once saw a Harpy Eagle. The fact is that in the 

 dense and lofty forests where these birds make their home 

 it is almost impossible to see them, and still more difficult 

 to obtain a shot. 



Of the present species the only example obtained was a male 

 in moult, with the majority of the quills of both wings and tail 

 much worn and broken at the tips. The new quill-feathers 

 of these parts, though not quite fully grown, are very im- 

 portant evidence, since they not only show the true shape 

 and colour of the perfect plumage, but indicate that the bird 

 is fully adult. 



The type of the present description was the male of a pair 

 which had their abode in the forest opposite Mr, Whitehead's 

 camp, in the island of Samar, and were daily seen on the 

 wing. As already mentioned, there are no high mountains 

 on the island, which is covered with a dense and extremely 

 lofty forest-growth, many of the trees attaining the gigantic 

 stature of 240 feet or more, as was ascertained by the actual 



