19 1 8.] Nidification of some Indian Falco7iicl(B. 59 



The breeding-season over the greater part of this bird's 

 range is, as I have ah'eady shown, daring the months of 

 November, December, and January, but in the higher hills 

 and mountains in the north wouhl appear to be in April 

 and early May, and perhaps the end of INIarch. 



In the Khasia Hills a perfectly fresh egg was taken on 

 the 2nd of May, and Rattray's hard-set one was taken on the 

 4th of the same month. 



The Black Eagle is essentially a bird of forest, mountains, 

 and wild country, but where such a combination exists, it is 

 to be found practically all over India, Ceylon, Burma, and 

 Malaya. In India it is not found in the plains except as a 

 straggler in the non-breeding season, nor is it found even 

 on the hills and mountains except within reach of heavy 

 forest. 



Colonel Rattray tells me that he saw one bird at Now- 

 shera, and adds : — 



" We certainly saw them at Kohat, where I once shot a 

 bird that was annoying us when out shooting. We used to 

 hate the bird at this place, for it was a no uncommon occur- 

 rence for one of them to accompany us, soaring high above 

 us overhead, but out of range of the guns. They kept the 

 birds down, and if a snipe got away wounded, they at once 

 followed and picked it up. I know in this way I lost a 

 number of snipe and quail. It was also a nuisance when out 

 hawking, as it kept the houbara down so that they continued 

 running and refused to be put up. I never heard of their 

 nesting anywhere in the vicinity.'' 



In Cachar, where the bird was, however, rare, we never 

 saw any instances similar to that described by Colonel 

 Rattray, even when we were snipe- or partridge-shooting on 

 ground surrounded on all sides by forest. The various 

 fishing Eagles and an occasional Osprey would regularly 

 retrieve and carry off wounded birds of all descriptions, but 

 we never saw or heard of a Black Eagle doing so. Up in 

 the mountains, however, I once shot a Bamboo Partridge in 

 a glade in deep forest, which was seized and carried off by 

 an Eagle, I believe, of this species. 



